Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims that its ongoing investigation into businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu is connected to political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The anti-graft agency had earlier declared Ms. Achimugu wanted in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
In a statement released on Friday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, clarified that Ms. Achimugu is being investigated solely for the alleged financial crimes and that the probe has no connection to any political matters.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to react to media reatikuports linking its investigations of Ms. Aisha Achimugu with political undercurrents involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” Mr. Oyewale said in the statement.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the investigations of Achimugu have no correlation of any kind with the two political actors. She is being investigated for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering and has since been declared wanted by the Commission.”
Mr. Oyewale explained that the EFCC initially began investigating Ms. Achimugu in 2022. However, she obtained a court order that temporarily prevented the agency from arresting, investigating, inviting, or detaining her. This injunction was challenged by the EFCC and subsequently overturned by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
The EFCC spokesperson added that the court also upheld the interim forfeiture of assets suspected to be proceeds of crime and dismissed Ms. Achimugu’s legal challenge as lacking merit.
“We enjoin the public to continue to keep faith with the professionalism of the Commission without imputing any extraneous consideration to its work,” the statement concluded.
The EFCC’s denial of political motivations in this case comes after speculation in some Nigerian media outlets linking the investigation to the two prominent politicians. The agency’s statement aims to assure the public of its impartiality and focus on the alleged financial crimes.
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