Alleged money laundering: Aisha Achimugu to appear in court today

Popular oil mogul and businesswoman, Mrs Aisha Achimugu, will be arraigned today (Wednesday) at a Federal High Court, Abuja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Daily Trust reports. Achimugu was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the early hours of Tuesday at about 5am by the gun-wielding operatives of the […]

Popular oil mogul and businesswoman, Mrs Aisha Achimugu, will be arraigned today (Wednesday) at a Federal High Court, Abuja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Daily Trust reports.

Achimugu was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the early hours of Tuesday at about 5am by the gun-wielding operatives of the anti-graft agency shortly after she returned from London and was subsequently taken into custody.

An impeccable source within the EFCC confirmed her arrest to our correspondent yesterday. Her lawyer, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also confirmed Achimugu’s arrest to journalists in Abuja.

The socialite, who will be arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo, over allegations that border on criminal conspiracy, money laundering and other yet-to-be-revealed charges, had earlier on March 28, 2025, been declared wanted by the EFCC.

On Monday, Achimugu was ordered by the court presided over by Justice Ekwo to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 and to also appear in court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

It was gathered that the court order was made in respect of a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/626/2025, filed by Achimugu against several law enforcement agencies from arresting her.

The agencies included: 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).

The applicant, through her lawyer, also joined the EFCC, NSCDC and NIS as 4th to 6th respondents respectively in the motion dated and filed April 3.

She had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from threatening or harassing her with arrest, detention and invasion of her “Properties or threatening to impede her fundamental right to freedom of movement, liberty, privacy and properties,” among others.

While giving 10 grounds why her application should be granted, Achimugu said on March 28, the EFCC declared her wanted.

She said that her declaration as ‘wanted’ was unwarranted, unjustifiable, devoid of probable cause, and is calculated to discredit, humiliate and subject her to public opprobrium, thereby causing irreparable harm to her reputation, personal dignity, and professional standing.

On April 11, the judge had given the respondents the last opportunity to appear before him to show cause why Achimugu’s reliefs should not be granted and adjourned until today for hearing.

 

Achimugu rejects food in EFCC custody

After she was taken into custody, her lawyer, Ojukwu, in a statement, argued that the arrest contradicts a Federal High Court order issued just a day earlier.

Ojukwu expressed outrage at the EFCC’s actions, describing the arrest as a breach of the court’s directive and her fundamental human rights.

“Aisha Achimugu, who arrived voluntarily into the country from London, was arrested by the EFCC around 5 am on Tuesday,” Ojukwu said.

The senior lawyer also revealed that Achimugu had commenced a hunger strike while in EFCC custody to protest her detention.

Ojukwu said that their client had arrived voluntarily from London to honour the EFCC invitation before her arrest by operatives of the commission.

 

How bizwoman was arrested at Abuja airport

Our correspondent gathered that there was a mild drama when her aides and some of her lawyers at the scene tried to prevent the stern-looking operatives of the EFCC from taking her into their waiting bus.

An airport worker, who was at the scene but did not want her name mentioned, told Daily Trust that some of the Achimugu’s workers that followed her were arguing that she was not supposed to be arrested since she had come to Nigeria voluntarily.

The worker explained that the operatives did not utter any statement in response to their arguments, saying “They were only focused on carrying out their operations, by ensuring the woman entered their waiting bus instead of the ones brought for her.

“I guess the EFCC operatives had intelligence about her arrival, they had been here since yesterday’s evening (Monday). With the way they conducted themselves, you would definitely know that they were for one ‘big’ operation,” the airport official said.

 

Anti-graft agency mum

The spokesman for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale did not answer several calls pulled across to his phone when filing this report last night.

But in response to the lawyer’s argument, one of the detectives told Daily Trust that they decided to arrest her at the airport because she couldn’t be trusted again after she had ignored previous invitations extended to her.

“If we leave her, we may find it very difficult to produce her in court. We had earlier declared her wanted after several invitations, and we can’t allow her to continue to walk freely.

“Besides, the court said she must appear before us today. We were not restricted from arresting her; what the court said was if she comes, she should not be detained.

“How are we sure that she will appear before us today? Now that we have seen her, we have a course to ensure she appears. What we did is still in line with the law,” the official confided in our correspondent.

 

She’s a prisoner of conscience – Lawyer

He said that the socialite had through her lawyer informed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday that she would visit the EFCC on Tuesday.

The lawyer described his client as a “Prisoner of conscience”, insisting that the arrest violated the rule of law.

“In the light of what transpired in court on Monday, our client returned based on the undertaking before the court to honour the EFCC’s invitation, but was arrested at the airport.

“She has immediately gone on a hunger strike. She is a prisoner of conscience and our stand in the arrest is that it has run contrary to the rule of law,” the senior lawyer said.

 

Who is Aisha Achimugu?

Her full name is Aisha Adole Achimugu. She was born on the 22nd January 1974 to family of Capt. J.E. A & Mrs. Adole (Rtd.) and from a very humble beginning.

Achimugu hails from Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State and she resides in Maitama, Abuja.

She attended Federal Government Girls Science School, Kuje, Abuja before she proceeded to University of Jos, where she bagged Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.

She was later also awarded an honorary doctorate by the Commonwealth University, Belize.

Aisha got married to Sulaiman Akao Achimugu, who was a former Managing Director of the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and they have three children.

However, her husband later passed away in 2020. Sulaiman was said to have died from COVID-19 complications.

Mrs Aisha Achimugu is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Felak Concept Group, a company that is into consultancy services related to health, equipment procurement, training and capacity building.

She’s also a director in Altex Engineering Oil & Gas Limited and has also made her mark in maritime and transportation engineering.

Aisha is said to be at the forefront of the initiative for the actualisation and development of a Deep Sea Port in South-South, Nigeria.

She is the first female Consultant/Transaction Advisor on the development of a Deep-Sea Port through one of her high profile companies; “Felak Concept Limited”.

 

How 50th lavish birthday put businesswoman in spotlight

Specifically, Aisha clocked 50 years on January 22, 2024 (last year), and to celebrate her golden jubilee, the socialite went all out for a seven-day birthday bash.

The bash had in attendance many big wigs in the society including Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu and some of the crème de la crème of the Nigerian entertainment industry.

The 50th birthday party of the Abuja-based businesswoman, which was held from January 16th to 23rd, 2024, held in the Caribbean Island of Grenada.

It was a party that would not be forgotten in a hurry because it was talk-of-the-town last year and it set many tongues wagging.

Responding to the lavish party in a statement on X, the FIRS said: “The FCT-Internal Revenue Service extends our warmest birthday wishes to you! May this special day be filled with joy and blessings. Remember to fulfill your tax obligations by filing your annual tax returns.”