Court acquits former minister Oduah, accomplice in $2.5 billion fraud charge

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has acquitted former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, and her former aide, Gloria Odita, of $2.5 billion fraud.

The presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, ordered the release of the defendants after the prosecution told the court that it had dismissed the case against them based on the plea agreement on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

The prosecution, however, filed an amended indictment against two companies linked to Oduah as defendants.

The companies are Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited.

Earlier, the Public Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that the parties had reached plea bargain.

When the case opened, Oyedepo told the court that based on plea talks between the parties, the prosecution filed an amended charge.

When the question arose about who would represent the companies, the parties sought time to address it, after which the judge adjourned proceedings until later in the day.

In the two-count amended indictment, Sobora International was accused of illegally possessing N838 million, while Global Offshore was allegedly accused of illegally possessing N1.629 billion.

Following the guilty pleas entered for the two companies, Oyedepo urged the court to convict them and issue a winding up order.

Defense lawyers, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and Wale Balogun (SAN), did not object to Oyedepo’s requests, which the judge upheld in his ruling.

Judge Muazu sentenced the companies based on their guilty pleas.

He issued a winding-up order and also ordered that the $1.2 billion paid in restitution and the $780 million recovered during the investigation be forfeited to the federal government.

The judge also issued an order striking out the previous charge, dated October 13, 2025, which contained the names of Oduah and Odita and proceeded to acquit them.

Oduah was arraigned alongside Odita in December 2025 by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretenses and criminal breach of trust.

The indictment alleged that the defendants conspired in January 2014 to obtain $2.4 billion from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited on alleged fraudulent charges.

The offence, the prosecution said, violates the provisions of sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under section 1(3).

The defendants, however, have pleaded not guilty to the charge.

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