Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered Aisha Achimugu to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court directed her to face questioning on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. She must also appear before the court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this in a statement. He said the order followed a suit filed by Achimugu against several law enforcement agencies. The agencies listed included the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
EFCC Reveals Allegations Against Aisha Achimugu
EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, told the court that a counter-affidavit was filed. The affidavit, signed by EFCC investigator Chris Odofin, explained the investigation against Aisha Achimugu.
According to Odofin, Achimugu is under investigation for conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering, corruption, and owning property suspected to be illegal. EFCC said she had earlier responded to their invitation on February 12, 2024. She gave a written statement and was granted administrative bail by her lawyer and surety, Darlington N. Ozurumba.
However, she allegedly failed to honor further appointments. Instead, she filed a fundamental rights suit against the EFCC. In her statement, Achimugu claimed that N8.71 billion in her corporate account was an “investment fund” for buying an oil block.
She said the funds were paid to the Federal Government through her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited. She also presented documents from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
EFCC Investigates Aisha Achimugu’s Oil Block Deal
But EFCC investigations showed a different story. The Commission said Achimugu’s company acquired two oil blocks, Shallow Water PPL 3007 and Deep Offshore PPL 302-DO, for $25.3 million. EFCC said the payments were made through cash and bureau de change operators. The funds’ sources could not be traced to any legitimate business.
The Commission added that the acquisition process was full of corruption. Despite the huge payments, neither of the oil blocks had started production. EFCC insisted that Achimugu’s current legal action was only to delay investigations.
The Commission revealed that Achimugu owns 136 bank accounts across ten different banks under her name and her companies.
EFCC said, “Following the dismissal of the earlier suit, the EFCC continued its investigation by dispatching inquiry letters to various banks and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Land Authorities, the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
The court has directed Aisha Achimugu to report to EFCC on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Her case will continue on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, as investigations move forward.
