The Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja has ordered the discharge of Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, a distinguished enterprise govt and socialite, from the custody of the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC), inside 24 hours.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order after listening to arguments from Achimugu’s legal professionals, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, and Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, in addition to from EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, and Ekene Iheanacho, SAN.
Nairametrics beforehand reported Achimugu’s arrest by the EFCC on the Abuja airport upon her return from London, regardless of her endeavor earlier than the courtroom to honor the EFCC’s invitation.
In line with her courtroom filings, Achimugu had already declared her intention to seem earlier than the EFCC in reference to its ongoing investigation.
This matter is a part of her basic human rights enforcement go well with filed towards the Nigeria Police Drive, Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee, State Safety Service, EFCC, Nigeria Safety and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Nairametrics earlier reported that Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, had launched a public assertion requesting details about Achimugu’s whereabouts.
The EFCC stated it’s conducting an investigation of an alleged multi-million naira case of prison conspiracy and cash laundering involving the applicant.
Authorized Developments
The trial courtroom, in response to Achimugu’s go well with marked FHC/ABJ/CS/626/2025, had on April 11 directed the EFCC and 5 different safety companies to file responses to her utility, which seeks to restrain her deliberate arrest and detention.
On the courtroom session on Monday, Ogunwumiju identified that, in response to the affidavit supporting the originating processes, the applicant acknowledged that she “will attend her interview earlier than the EFCC tomorrow, twenty ninth April 2025,” and that she had expressed her willingness to cooperate with the investigation, opposite to the EFCC’s claims.
Iheanacho, however, asserted that the applicant was on administrative bail however had violated its circumstances.
“We invited the applicant, and he or she refused to come back. We wrote to her once more, and he or she nonetheless refused to come back,” he stated.
Ruling on the submissions, Justice Ekwo noticed that the EFCC’s counter-affidavit confirmed that Achimugu was already underneath investigation and had been granted administrative bail by the company.
The decide ordered that the applicant seem earlier than the EFCC on twenty ninth April 2025, as acknowledged in paragraph 61 of her affidavit in help of the movement ex parte and connected displays.
He additional directed that, following her look, the EFCC should return with the applicant to courtroom on thirtieth April 2025 to report on the matter.
What Transpired in Court docket
Following her production in courtroom at present, Kehinde Ogunwumiju knowledgeable the courtroom that the applicant had filed an Affidavit of Reality pursuant to Order 4 of the Elementary Rights (Enforcement Process) Guidelines, 2009.
- Iheanacho responded that he would depart the matter to the courtroom’s discretion.
- Responding to the events, the decide acknowledged that the listening to was mounted for the EFCC to report on compliance with the courtroom’s twenty eighth April 2025 order.
- He famous that, in circumstances of this nature, the courtroom could difficulty an order for bail in view of the reliefs sought, even earlier than the complete utility is heard.
- The decide was referred to the Affidavit of Reality, deposed on thirtieth April 2025 by Achimugu’s legal professionals, which indicated that the EFCC was within the means of granting her bail underneath sure circumstances.
“Now, the courtroom, being confronted with this, will enable the EFCC to conclude the method of granting the applicant bail, and this courtroom will repair a time,” he stated.
“Due to this fact, I’m minded to make the next orders to make sure the rights of the applicant are revered and the authority of the EFCC just isn’t undermined,” he added.
- The decide subsequently ordered the EFCC to facilitate the discharge of Aisha Achimugu “in step with the circumstances acknowledged in paragraph 6 of the Affidavit of Reality inside 24 hours of this order.”
- The courtroom additionally ordered that each one events, notably the EFCC, report again to the courtroom in compliance with the order on 2nd Might 2025.
The case was adjourned to 2nd Might 2025 for the compliance report.
What You Ought to Know
Achimugu, a widely known enterprise magnate, is the Group Managing Director and Chief Government Officer of Felak Idea Group, a consortium of firms concerned in engineering, maritime, oil and fuel, and knowledge expertise.
Because the investigation unfolds, the EFCC’s actions replicate elevated scrutiny {of financial} actions linked to Nigeria’s political panorama, notably within the wake of the contentious 2023 elections.
Nonetheless, the allegations stay topic to the ultimate judgment of the courtroom.
