Chappal Energies reacts to EFCC’s wanted notice against MD, cites ‘restraining ruling’

Chappal Energies has responded to the public notice issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding its Managing Director, Ufoma Immanuel, citing a “restraining ruling” that allegedly prevents the agency from issuing such notice.

The company’s reaction was disclosed in a statement shared with Nairametrics on Thursday.

The development comes days after the EFCC declared Immanuel wanted over alleged offences bordering on “obtaining by false pretence and forgery.” 

What Chappal Energies is saying 

Reacting to the development, the company stated that enforcement actions under Nigerian law are guided by established procedures, which require reasonable attempts at direct engagement through official channels before issuing or acting on a warrant.

The company claimed:

“To our knowledge, no attempt was made to engage Mr. Immanuel or the company through these channels prior to the issuance of the notice, which creates the unfortunate impression of a public escalation where standard procedures were readily available.” 

It further stated that both Mr. Immanuel and Chappal Energies remain fully reachable through their official addresses, phone lines, and electronic contacts, all of which are publicly available.

The company explained that its directors have recently faced alleged coordinated pressures linked to an ongoing civil dispute, which resulted in the filing of a case to safeguard the rule of law.

It stressed that these developments ultimately led to an order by Hon. Justice J.E. Obanor of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, who, on September 11, 2025, reportedly granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the EFCC and other listed respondents from inviting, questioning, arresting, detaining, or otherwise acting against Mr. Immanuel or Chappal Energies.

The company argued that the said order remains in force, faulting the circumstances surrounding the EFCC public notice.

It maintained that the development creates the impression of external actors seeking alleged public spectacle and mischief rather than adherence to legal due process.

“Chappal Energies continues to respect the roles of all statutory institutions, including the EFCC, and remains committed to full cooperation with all relevant authorities through the proper legal channels. However, the company will take appropriate legal steps to address this development,” the statement partly reads.

The company highlighted that its operations remain uninterrupted and that its leadership remains focused on delivering long-term value in line with commitments to partners, regulators, and stakeholders.

Backstory 

Recall that on November 19, 2025, the EFCC declared Immanuel wanted over allegations of forgery and obtaining by false pretence.

This was disclosed in a notice issued by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity at the EFCC.

Anyone with useful information regarding his whereabouts was advised to contact the Commission at its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja, or report to the nearest police station or any other security agency. (Nairametrics)