The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three senior officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) before different judges of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over alleged fraud, corruption and unlawful enrichment totalling about N2.04 billion.
The anti-graft agency disclosed the development in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.
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The defendants are Felix Njoku, a former director of finance; Benjamin Chinwuba Iloanusi, director of procurement; and Oche Jerry Ogbole-Inalegwu, director of mechanical.
They face separate charges bordering on abuse of office, money laundering and corruption.
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One of the defendants, Mr Njoku, was arraigned before trial judge Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court on 17 counts involving an alleged N736.3 million fraud.
The EFCC alleged that between 2 January and 3 December 2024, after leaving office as Director of Finance, he received N240.94 million from NRC contractors through the account of Njoku & Company domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc.
The payments were said to be linked to contracts awarded during his tenure.
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He pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution lawyer, Abba Muhammad, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), asked the court to fix trial dates and remand the defendant pending determination of his bail application.
But the defence lawyer, Mordecai Adejo, urged the court to allow him to continue enjoying the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
Ms Abike-Fadipe granted Mr Njoku temporary release on health grounds, ordering him to deposit his passport and report to the EFCC’s Lagos Directorate 1 office every Monday and Friday.
The judge adjourned the case until 10 March for hearing of the bail application and 11, 12, 18 and 19 May for trial.
Procurement director remanded
Mr Iloanusi was arraigned before another judge Ismail Ijelu on 10 counts involving alleged N915.27 million fraud.
According to the commission, while serving as Director of Procurement between 4 January and 30 December 2022, he received N160.93 million from NRC contractors through accounts domiciled in Polaris Bank Plc.
The payments were allegedly connected to contracts awarded in the course of his official duties.
He also pleaded not guilty.
Mr Ijelu ordered his remand in a correctional centre.
He adjourned the matter to 3 March for hearing of his bail application and commencement of trial.
Mechanical director faces nine counts
Mr Ogbole-Inalegwu was arraigned before another judge Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court on nine counts involving an alleged N395.19 million fraud.
The EFCC alleged that while serving as Railway District Manager between 12 February and 29 October 2019, and operating under the name Altech Engineering Services, he received N11.39 million from the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), a contractor to the NRC, through an Access Bank Plc account in connection with contracts awarded during his official duties.
He pleaded not guilty.
Mr Dada allowed him to continue enjoying the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
He adjourned the case to 23 April for hearing.
The alleged offences are said to contravene Sections 332(1) and 332(3), Section 73(1), and Section 82(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Not the first time
The arraignments come a day after the EFCC arraigned a former Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Edetanle, over alleged money laundering involving $385,000 and N165 million.
Mr Edetanle was arraigned before trial judge Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court on seven counts in abuse of office, money laundering and unlawful enrichment.
The commission alleged that during and shortly after his tenure, funds were transferred from his Access Bank domiciliary account to an account at ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands.
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In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that between 29 May and 11 September 2024, while serving as managing director, he transferred $205,000 to an account belonging to Ehimen Okhiria in the Netherlands.
In another count, the agency alleged that between 21 October and 21 November 2024, after leaving office, he transferred an additional $40,000 to the same account.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Following arguments by prosecution lawyer Mr Muhammad and defence lawyer Adebowale Kamoru, the judge adjourned the case until 13, 14 and 15 May.
The judge ordered that Mr Edetanle be remanded in a maximum-security correctional facility pending determination of his bail application.
Mr Edetanle was appointed managing director of the NRC in October 2016 after previously serving in an acting capacity.
A qualified electrical engineer, he has worked in the rail sector since 1988, overseeing projects in signalling, telecommunications, ICT and railway systems.
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