The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested prominent businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu at ...
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested prominent businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Sources revealed that Achimugu was apprehended around 5 a.m., shortly after arriving from London. Her arrest comes a month after the EFCC declared her wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
On Monday, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice I.E. Ekwo, ordered Achimugu to report to the EFCC on Tuesday and appear before the court the following day, Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Her legal counsel, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu, confirmed the arrest in a message to our correspondent. “Aisha Achimugu, who returned voluntarily from London, was arrested by the EFCC around 5 a.m. on Tuesday,” he said.
Ojukwu criticized the commission’s action, calling it a breach of the court’s directive. “Following Monday’s court proceedings, my client returned to Nigeria on the basis of an undertaking made before the court to honour the EFCC’s invitation. Despite this, she was arrested at the airport,” he stated.
He further disclosed that Achimugu had begun a hunger strike in protest of what he described as a violation of her fundamental rights. “She is a prisoner of conscience,” Ojukwu added.
An EFCC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization to address the media, confirmed the arrest. “We declared her wanted and could not let her continue to move about freely. The court ordered her to report to us today, and we acted accordingly. The directive was that she should not be detained if she appeared, but how were we to ensure she would comply if not apprehended?”
As of press time, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale had not responded to multiple calls and messages seeking comment on the arrest.
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