Chappal Energies Ltd. pushed back on Wednesday against a public notice issued by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeking its managing director, Ufoma Immanuel, saying the move bypassed legal procedures and ignored a subsisting court order restraining the agency from taking enforcement action.
In a statement sent to BusinessDay, the company said Nigerian law requires enforcement agencies to make reasonable attempts at engagement through official channels before issuing or acting on any warrant.
“To our knowledge, no attempt was made to engage Mr. Immanuel or the Company through these channels prior to the issuance of the notice,” the firm said, describing the EFCC action as an “unfortunate impression of a public escalation.”
The company added that Immanuel and its corporate offices remain fully reachable through publicly available addresses, phone lines and electronic contacts.
Read also: EFCC declares Chappal Energies CEO Ufoma Immanuel wanted for alleged fraud
The dispute comes amid what Chappal Energies described as “coordinated pressures” linked to an ongoing civil matter.
The company said those pressures led to an interlocutory injunction granted on Sept. 11 by Justice J.E. Obanor of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The order, according to the statement, restrains the EFCC and other respondents from inviting, questioning, arresting or detaining Immanuel or taking action against the company pending the determination of the suit.
The firm said the court order remains in effect, adding that the EFCC notice “creates the impression of external actors seeking public spectacle and mischief rather than adherence to legal due process.”
Officials of the EFCC were not immediately available for comment.
Chappal Energies said it respects the roles of statutory institutions, including the EFCC, and remains prepared to cooperate with authorities “through proper legal channels.” It added that it would take “appropriate legal steps” in response to the notice.
The company, which operates across Nigeria’s energy sector, said its activities remain unaffected and its leadership continues to focus on long-term value for partners, regulators and stakeholders.
