EFCC arrests Aisha Achimugu at airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested Aisha Achimugu, Chief Executive Officer of Felak Concept Group, over allegations of money laundering and financial fraud.

She was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon her arrival from London at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday.

EFCC sources, who asked not to be named to comment on the matter they were not yet permitted to discuss with the press, confirmed the arrest to PREMIUM TIMES.

Ms Achimugu’s arrest came less than 24 hours after her lawyers expressed during Monday’s hearing of her fundamental human rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja her willingness to submit to EFCC. The judge, at the proceedings, ordered her to honour her commitment to surrender to the anti-graft agency Tuesday.

The Cable reported that her lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, adding that the businesswoman had begun a hunger strike.

“She arrived voluntarily and was arrested by the EFCC. She has immediately gone on hunger strike,” Mr Ojukwu said. “This phase will surely pass. Nigeria’s rule of law is at the precipice.”

The EFCC had declared Ms Achimugu wanted in a 28 March public notice over her alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy, money laundering, corruption, and possession of unlawfully acquired property, in connection with the controversial MBA Trading and Capital Limited scheme.

On 3 April, she filed a fundamental human rights enforcement suit to restrain the EFCC and other agencies sued as co-defendants from arresting or detaining her.

Other agencies she sued alongside EFCC the Nigeria Police Force, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

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Surrender order

At Monday’s hearing, one of her lawyers, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, also a SAN, informed the court that Ms Achimugu had already stated, underoath, her willingness to cooperate with the EFCC.

He said the applicant would honour her interview with the anti-graft agency scheduled for 29 April (Tuesday), as disclosed in her affidavit supporting the originating motion.

EFCC counsel Ekene Iheanacho, a SAN, responded that the commission had previously obtained a judgement on 19 February, dismissing an earlier enforcement application filed by Ms Achimugu.

However, the judge, Inyang Ekwo. clarified that the issue at hand was not the substantive matter but about EFCC showing cause why interim prayers sought by Ms Achimugu should not be granted.

“I see no controversy if the applicant has stated a date for appearance,” the judge said, pressing Mr Iheanacho to confirm or deny the applicant’s claim.

Mr Iheanacho acknowledged that Ms Achimugu was on administrative bail but alleged she had previously violated its conditions by failing to honour previous invitations.

“We invited the applicant and she refused to come,” he said.

Delivering a brief ruling, the judge, Inyang Ekwo observed that Ms Achimugu’s affidavit confirmed her commitment to appear before the EFCC, while the agency’s counter-affidavit indicated that she remained under investigation and on expired administrative bail.

“I find no controversy considering the applicant’s averment. None should be created,” the judge ruled.

He ordered that Ms Achimugu to appear before the EFCC on 29 April, as she undertook in her court filings.

The EFCC was further directed to produce Ms Achimugu in court on 30 April to report on her appearance and cooperation with the investigation.

Ms Achimugu, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Felak Concept Group, an engineering, maritime, oil, gas, and IT conglomerate, had earlier claimed that her failure to attend the initial EFCC summons was due to medical treatment abroad.

Court filings revealed that she had travelled to the United Kingdom for urgent medical care on 3 March, shortly before the EFCC’s invitation letter was issued on 4 March.

Her lawyers argued that despite attempts to reschedule her EFCC interview, the agency declared her wanted without adequate consideration.

Associates of Ms Achimugu, who is connected to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have pushed back against the EFCC’s actions, framing them as politically motivated harassment.

EFCC’s case against Achimugu

The EFCC provided details of its case against Ms Achimugu in a court filing.

It said in an affidavit filed in response to an application instituted by Ms Achimugu that on 12 February 2024 the socialite visited its office with her lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, and wrote a statement.

The commission said in the statement, she explained some of the huge funds which passed through her corporate bank accounts.

It said that Mrs Achimugu admitted that the sum of N8.71 billion was paid by her partners as investment fund into purchase and payment of signature bonus for the acquisition of an oil bloc on 8 November 2022.

It said further investigation however revealed that Mrs Achimugu, through her company, Ocean Gate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited, acquired two oil blocs, namely Shallow Water -PPL 3007 and Deep Offshore-PPL 302-DO for the total sum of $25, 300, 000 (twenty-five million, three hundred thousand dollars) through majorly cash payments made to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators who in turn made payments to the Federal Government via corporate accounts.

The commission alleged that the ultimate sources of the said sum of $25.3 million used in the acquisition of the oil blocs were not linked to her lawful earning or income or any business partner.

“That the acquisition of the oil blocks was marred by corrupt practices as bribes were paid to the officials of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in the process.

“That none of the Oil Blocks assigned/allocated to Ocean Gate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Commission has commenced exploration/production from inception to date,” the EFCC said.

The anti-graft agency averred that following the decision of the court in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/451/2024 which dismissed Mrs Achimugu’s suit, the commission, in continuation of its investigation, sent letters to some agencies of government, including FIRS, CBN, etc.

It said further investigation revealed that Mrs Achimugu operates a total of 136 bank accounts across ten different banks both in her personal and corporate names.