BREAKING: Court orders EFCC to release Aisha Achimugu within 24 hours

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu within 24 hours.

Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Wednesday during a brief ruling. He directed all parties involved in the matter, especially the EFCC, to report back to the court on May 2, 2025, with a compliance update.

Earlier on Monday, the judge had instructed Achimugu to appear at the EFCC office in relation to an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and other financial crimes. He also ordered that the EFCC present her in court on Wednesday, April 30, for a status report.

Achimugu was arrested at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. According to the EFCC, she is under investigation for conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretenses, corruption, money laundering, and unlawful possession of properties.

Although Achimugu had previously been questioned and granted administrative bail, the EFCC alleged that she violated her bail terms and subsequently declared her wanted.

In a public notice, the commission appealed for help in locating her, stating: “The public is hereby notified that AISHA SULAIMAN ACHIMUGU is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering.”

The EFCC disclosed in a sworn affidavit that Achimugu, while in custody with her lawyer Darlington Ozurumba on February 12, 2024, admitted that ₦8.71 billion was transferred into her company’s accounts as investment capital for the acquisition of oil blocks.

Further investigations revealed that through her firm, Ocean Gate Engineering Oil and Gas Limited, she acquired two oil blocks—Shallow Water PPL 3007 and Deep Offshore PPL 302-DO—valued at $25.3 million. The payments, the EFCC said, were largely made in cash via Bureau De Change operators and later remitted to the Federal Government through corporate bank transfers.

The EFCC claimed that the sources of these funds could not be traced to any legitimate income or business partnership and alleged that bribes were paid to officials of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission during the acquisition process.

Moreover, the EFCC stated that neither of the acquired oil blocks has commenced production since being allocated to her company. It also revealed that Achimugu manages 136 bank accounts across ten banks in both her personal and business names.

Following a court ruling that dismissed Achimugu’s suit against the EFCC (FHC/ABJ/CS/451/2024), the commission continued its probe and sent inquiries to agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Details to follow…