The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has reportedly compromised the N5 billion suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Stella Oduah, the former aviation minister, according to sources familiar with the matter.

SaharaReporters learned that despite being directed by an Abuja court in July 2023 to take over the case, the AGF never pursued further legal action or allowed the EFCC’s case to progress.

Sources say this is due to Oduah’s membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In August 2021, while serving as senator for Anambra North, Oduah left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC, saying the move was part of an effort to reshape the political landscape in the South East. The party, in turn, assured her that she would enjoy all the rights and privileges of a bona fide member.

“The AGF was asked to take over the case, but he never did file another case or allow the case filed against her to progress, apparently because she joined the APC,” one of the sources said.

EFCC’s Case Against Oduah

The EFCC’s case, filed in 2020 under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, alleges that Oduah misappropriated public funds amounting to N5 billion during her tenure as aviation minister.

Although the case came up for arraignment multiple times between 2021 and 2023, it faced repeated delays.

For instance, in November 2021, a few months after she defected to the APC, her scheduled arraignment before Justice Inyang Ekwo was stalled as a result of a letter filed by the then-AGF, Abubakar Malami.

Oduah was to be arraigned on 25 counts, along with eight other defendants, over an allegation of fraud committed while she was in office.

However, Oduah and her co-accused persons could not take a plea because of an application by one of the defence lawyers, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), asking the court not to go on with the plea taking. Onoja informed the court that there was a petition dated January 29 to the AGF and Minister of Justice, in respect of the charge.

According to Onoja, the letter of complaint claimed that Oduah and the other defendants were being persecuted.

Onoja said, having submitted the petition to the AGF, “he requested the file, but up till now, the EFCC vehemently refused to remit the file to the AGF”.

Therefore, the court adjourned the matter.

Buhari’s Panel Recommends Prosecution

SaharaReporters had previously reported that a panel set up by then-President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2020 recommended the immediate prosecution of Stella Oduah. The panel, chaired by retired Justice Ayo Salami, secured Buhari’s approval for Oduah’s prosecution. However, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, repeatedly undermined efforts to bring Oduah and other high-profile politicians to trial.

For instance, in May 2022, the scheduled arraignment of Oduah on money laundering charges was stalled for the sixth time at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Despite Oduah appearing in court alongside eight co-defendants, the proceedings could not continue because Malami failed to give a clear directive to proceed.

The prosecuting counsel, Dr. Hassan Liman (SAN), informed the court that he had received a letter from the AGF’s office, dated May 6, 2022, which stated that Malami was still reviewing the facts of the case. Although Malami’s letter allowed the court to proceed with the trial while the review was ongoing, Justice Inyang Ekwo declined to take the defendants’ pleas. He insisted that Malami must first make a definitive decision on the case to avoid embarking on a futile exercise.

The other defence lawyers agreed with the court’s position, supporting the decision to allow Malami more time to conclude his review and issue the necessary directives.

On Friday, July 21, 2023, Oduah and eight co-defendants were finally arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The other defendants include Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 25-count charge, which includes alleged conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous accounts with First Bank Plc. They were subsequently granted bail.

After the arraignment, Justice Ekwo questioned the EFCC lawyer about his previous directive to identify and present individuals who had sent him threatening messages. When the prosecution lawyer, Ofem Uket, was unable to provide a clear answer, Justice Ekwo stated that while he would set a date for trial to commence, the EFCC must produce the individuals in question.

Ekwo then ordered that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) should take over the case and that the EFCC should hand over the entire record of proceedings to the AGF’s office.

Corruption Allegations Under Oduah’s Tenure

Meanwhile, in October 2013, SaharaReporters exclusively obtained documents revealing extensive corruption and mismanagement of public funds at the Ministry of Aviation under Stella Oduah’s leadership. One of the documents detailed how Oduah pressured the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armoured BMW cars for her.

At the time, NCAA officials told SaharaReporters that the agency struggled to find funds to upgrade critical equipment, provide staff with essential training, and hire enough qualified personnel.

“Yet, all the minister is concerned about is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for operations,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that the transaction to acquire two BMW 760 armored vehicles began in June 2013. However, the request for delivery and payment was expedited between August 13 and 15, 2013. The transaction involved the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), First Bank of Nigeria, and Coscharis Motors Limited.

On August 13, 2013, J.D. Nkemakolam of the NCAA sent a letter to the Managing Director of Coscharis Motors, requesting the delivery of the two armored BMWs based on a pro-forma invoice dated June 25, 2013. Each vehicle was priced at N127,575,000 (approximately $796,846.21), bringing the total to N255,150,000 or about $1,593,687.31. The letter also directed Coscharis Motors to provide the sales invoices, delivery notes, and attestation documents.

Payment for the vehicles was made into a First Bank of Nigeria account (number 2018912995 with sort code 0111152303), according to a letter signed by Godwin Umeaka, Coscharis’ group financial controller.

The two black BMW Li HSS vehicles had chassis numbers WBAHP41050DW68032 and WBAHP41010DW68044. They were delivered to the NCAA on August 13, 2013, and received by store managers F. Onoabhagbe and Y.A. Amzat, who also served as the agency’s head of transport. Two days later, on August 15, 2013, Sola Ogunsakin of the NCAA signed off to certify the completion of the transaction.

Following three air mishaps in Nigeria’s airspace, SaharaReporters launched an extensive investigation into the aviation sector and discovered a pattern of questionable expenditures authorized by the then-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. Several aviation industry insiders told SaharaReporters that Oduah, with the backing of then-President Goodluck Jonathan, had turned the ministry into a hub of corrupt activities.

According to Vista BMW in Coconut Creek, Florida, a fully armoured BMW 760 Li—capable of withstanding AK-47 7.62x39mm rounds and lower-caliber weapons—costs about $162,195. Additionally, the International Armoring Corporation’s armoured car division in Centerville, Utah, provided a quote indicating that the NCAA could have obtained each of these BMW cars for $200,000, plus shipping costs to Nigeria.

Despite public outcry and mounting pressure to remove Oduah, President Jonathan delayed action for months. It was not until February 12, 2024, that he finally dismissed her.

In addition to the BMW purchase scandal, Oduah was embroiled in a certificate scandal, also exposed by SaharaReporters.

In 2017, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that Oduah had bought a $1.2 million (approximately N690 million at the then black-market exchange rate) home in London, cleverly disguising the transaction through a foreign-registered company to avoid detection. The purchase was made in 2012, while she was serving as aviation minister, using Adriatic Land 4 Limited—registered in Guernsey, UK—to facilitate the acquisition. The company’s address was listed as Mont Crevelt House, Bulwer Avenue, St. Sampson, Guernsey, GY2 4LH, with registration number 56274.

The secret transaction only came to light in 2017 when Oduah attempted to rent out the house and engaged the real estate firm Daniel Ford and Company Ltd. This firm, which had been involved in US civil cases linked to Diezani Alison-Madueke and other politically exposed Nigerians, managed the property rental. By identifying herself as the owner of the property, Oduah inadvertently exposed the elaborate cover she had established.

Meanwhile, sources also exclusively told SaharaReporters that the then-Senate President Ahmad Lawan, his deputy Ovie Omo-Agege, and other APC leaders were actively working behind the scenes to frustrate Oduah’s prosecution.

“There are concerted and subtle efforts by Deputy Senate President and Senate President to sabotage President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption stance by mounting undue pressure on the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (Abubakar Malami at the time), the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and also Justice Ekwo of Federal High Court Abuja for them to frustrate, compromise and sabotage the prosecution and trial of Senator Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation,” the source had said.

“This well-orchestrated plan has been perfected by the above-mentioned highly placed Nigerians.”

SaharaReporters had previously reported that during her tenure as Minister, Stella Oduah allegedly embezzled nearly a billion dollars, primarily through inflated contracts for airport refurbishments across Nigeria. However, these airport projects turned out to be shoddy and have since fallen into disrepair.

Investigators revealed that Oduah used the embezzled funds to acquire ships and as many as 150 houses in Lagos alone.

Additionally, the Pandora Papers—one of the largest leaks of financial documents in history—uncovered how Oduah secretly acquired multiple mansions in London. One of these properties was in her name, two were purchased through her Nigerian-incorporated company, and four more were acquired via an offshore company registered in Seychelles.

The offshore entity, International Trading and Logistics Company Limited (ITCL), was incorporated in Seychelles—a well-known secrecy and tax haven—with Oduah as its ultimate beneficial owner. She used ITCL to acquire the four London properties, valued at a total of £6.7 million (approximately N5.2 billion at today’s black-market exchange rate of N775 to £1), between October 2012 and August 2013.

According to UK Land Registry records, on October 19, 2012, ITCL purchased a house at 23 St Edmunds Terrace, London, NW8 7QA for £5.3 million.

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