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By Daniel Adaji
Chappal Energies has pushed back against a public notice issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its Managing Director, Ufoma Immanuel.
It argued that the agency acted despite a valid court order preventing any such action.
The company, in a statement issued on Thursday, said it only became aware of the EFCC notice recently and described the move as a departure from the procedures that guide enforcement actions in Nigeria.
It noted that “enforcement actions under Nigerian law are governed by established procedures that require reasonable attempts at direct engagement through official channels before issuing or acting on a warrant.”
Chappal Energies said this was not done, adding that no effort was made by the EFCC to reach Immanuel or the company through any recognised channel. This omission, the firm said, “creates the unfortunate impression of a public escalation where standard procedures were readily available.”
It stressed that Immanuel and the company remain accessible, pointing out that “both Mr. Immanuel and Chappal Energies remain fully reachable through their established official addresses, phone lines and electronic contacts, all of which are publicly available.”
The company linked the development to what it described as coordinated pressures tied to an ongoing civil dispute. It recalled that the situation prompted Hon. Justice J.E. Obanor of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to issue an interlocutory injunction on 11 September 2025, “restraining the EFCC and other listed respondents from inviting, questioning, arresting, detaining or otherwise acting against Mr. Immanuel or Chappal Energies.”
According to the firm, the injunction “remains in force,” making the EFCC notice, despite the court order, appear like an attempt by external actors “seeking public spectacle and mischief rather than adherence to legal due process.”
Even as it criticised the development, the energy company said it still respects the roles of Nigeria’s statutory institutions and is willing to cooperate through lawful means. It reaffirmed that it “will take appropriate legal steps to address this development.”
Chappal Energies also assured stakeholders that its operations are running without disruption and that its leadership “remains focused on delivering long-term value in line with our commitments to partners, regulators and stakeholders.”