EFCC Denies Counsel Linked ALGON Lawyer to US Fraud Allegations, Accuses Media of Misrepresentation

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed reports attributing controversial statements to its counsel, Larry Peters Aso, following a Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment involving legal practitioner Dr Ted Iseghoi-Edwards.

The commission described the reports as a deliberate distortion of its lawyer’s reaction to the judgment, warning that the misrepresentation could undermine public understanding of the court proceedings.

In a press statement issued on Monday, November 2, the EFCC said Aso did not make claims that Iseghoi-Edwards fraudulently obtained judgments after instituting proceedings against the Federal Government in the United States.

The clarification followed a judgment by Justice Suleiman Belgore in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Iseghoi-Edwards over allegations of fraud relating to services rendered to Nigeria’s 774 local government councils.

The court reportedly cleared the legal practitioner of the allegations and disagreed with the commission over its investigation report concerning the London-Paris Club refunds.

According to the EFCC, its counsel merely thanked the judge for his efforts in handling the case and informed the court that the commission would obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment for examination before deciding on its next course of action.

The commission also denied claims that Aso described its 2024 investigation report as having been prepared under pressure from senior officials following the assignment of promissory notes to third parties in the United States.

It described the attribution as mischievous and an attempt to damage the reputation of its counsel by suggesting that external pressure influenced the investigation.

The EFCC urged media organisations to examine the record of proceedings of October 20, 2026, when the judgment was delivered, to establish what transpired in court.

The statement, signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, called on journalists to exercise greater objectivity and accuracy in reporting judicial proceedings in the interest of justice.