A Britain High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, says the implementation of the Executive Order (6) by the Nigerian Government is important for rooting out corruption in the country.
Buhari on July 5, 2018, issued the Presidential Executive Order which empowers the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to take steps, in liaison with relevant investigative agencies, to temporarily seize property linked with corruption pending investigation and conclusion of the trial to prevent the dissipation of such assets.
The order was, however, challenged by two lawyers, Ikenga Ugochinyere and Keneth Udeze, who instituted a suit before the court to challenge its validity.
On Thursday, a Federal High court dismissed the suit for lacking merit and held that it was within the powers of the president, as granted by the Constitution, to issue executive orders for the execution of executive policies, as long as such orders do not offend the doctrine of separation of powers.
"I've heard that this is an anti-corruption measure, it's not for me to say who should or should not be on the list," Arkwright said.
"But what I would say is that it's very important in continuing this fight against corruption and rooting out corruption where it is happening",
On Saturday, about 48 hours after the court backed the Order, the government said that 50 high-profile Nigerians have been banned from leaving the country.
"A number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and restricted them from leaving the county pending the determination of their cases," presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement on Saturday.
Shehu said the financial transactions of these persons of interest were being monitored by the relevant agencies to ensure that the assets are not dissipated and such persons do not interfere with, nor howsoever corrupt the investigation and litigation processes.
