Alleged Money Laundering: EFCC Arrests Achimugu, Socialite Begins Hunger Strike
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Achimugu, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Achimugu was arrested at about 5 am on Tuesday shortly after her return from London.
A top EFCC member of staff confirmed this to Salient Times in a telephone conversation on Tuesday.
The socialite had been declared wanted in March by the EFCC over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
Her lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), confirmed her arrest, saying, “Aisha Achimugu, who arrived voluntarily into the country from London, was arrested by the EFCC around 5 am on Tuesday.”
He criticised the EFCC’s action, describing it as a violation of a court order.
“In light of what transpired in court on Monday, my client returned based on the undertaking before the court to honour the EFCC’s invitation, but was arrested at the airport,” the lawyer said.
He further disclosed that Achimugu had commenced a hunger strike to protest what he termed a breach of her fundamental rights.
“She is a prisoner of conscience,” Ojukwu stated.
However, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, had yet to confirm the development as of the time of filing the report.
Her arrest comes a day after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, ordered her to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday, and also to appear before the court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the order was made in a ruling in respect of a suit filed by Achimugu against several law enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the EFCC, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
In its response to Achimugu’s application, EFCC’s Counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, informed the court of a counter-affidavit deposed to by one of its investigators, Chris Odofin, outlining the circumstances leading to her invitation.
In the affidavit, Odofin disclosed that Achimugu was under investigation for alleged conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering, corruption and possession of property reasonably suspected to have been acquired through unlawful means.
The Commission noted that Achimugu had initially honoured its invitation on February 12, 2024, during which she made a written statement and was subsequently granted administrative bail through her lawyer and surety, Darlington N. Ozurumba.
However, she allegedly failed to report as agreed, choosing instead to file a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Commission.
The affidavit further revealed that Achimugu, in her statement, explained the inflow of N8.71 billion into her corporate bank accounts as an “investment fund” for the acquisition of an oil block.
She claimed the funds were transferred to the Federal Government’s account through her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited, referencing documentation from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Further investigation in the affidavit, however, indicated that Achimugu’s company actually acquired two oil blocks, Shallow Water PPL 3007 and Deep Offshore PPL 302-DO, at the cost of $25.3 million.
Investigations showed that the payments were allegedly made in cash via bureau de change operators and that the ultimate sources of the funds could not be traced to any legitimate business income or partnerships.
The Commission also alleged that the acquisition process was fraught with corruption. It added that despite the acquisition, neither of the two oil blocks had commenced exploration or production as of the time of investigation.
The EFCC stressed that Achimugu’s current suit was a calculated attempt to frustrate the ongoing investigation, despite a previous court decision in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/451/2024 dismissing her claim of fundamental rights violations.
