A former top Nigerian treasury official has been sentenced to 72 years in prison for his role in a multi-million dollar money laundering scheme involving funds meant for national security. Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, who previously served as the acting Accountant General of the Federation, was found guilty on Monday by a High Court in the capital, Abuja. The court heard how Nwabuoku diverted more than 868m naira ($560,000; £440,000) during his time as a director at the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Justice James Omotosho, presiding over the case, described the theft of funds intended for the country’s defense and security as “appalling,” particularly at a time when Nigeria is grappling with widespread insurgency and kidnapping.
Double blow to the treasury
The sentencing is seen as a significant victory for Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a twist that has shocked many Nigerians, Nwabuoku had been appointed as the country’s acting chief accountant in 2022 specifically to replace his predecessor, Ahmed Idris, who had been suspended over a separate, much larger fraud allegation involving 109bn naira ($70m). However, Nwabuoku’s tenure was short-lived after investigations revealed his own prior involvement in financial misconduct at the defense ministry.
Concurrent sentence
While the judge handed down a total of 72 years—eight years for each of the nine counts of money laundering—the sentences are to run concurrently. This means the former official will serve a maximum of eight years in prison. The defense had previously sought a plea bargain to return the stolen funds in exchange for a more lenient sentence, but the request was later withdrawn, leading to a full trial. Nigeria has long struggled with systemic corruption within its civil service. While several high-ranking officials have faced trial in recent years, successful convictions of senior treasury figures remain relatively rare. The trial of his predecessor, Mr. Idris, is still ongoing in Abuja. Mr. Idris has denied any wrongdoing, claiming his previous statements to investigators were made under duress.
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