 arrested businesswoman Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday. Achimugu was detained around 5 a.m. after arriving from London.){kind=link}
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested businesswoman Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday. Achimugu was detained around 5 a.m. after arriving from London.
The EFCC had declared her wanted in March over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
A recent court order, issued by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, instructed her to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday, with a subsequent appearance scheduled for April 30, 2025.
Achimugu’s lawyer, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu, confirmed her arrest and expressed disapproval of the EFCC’s actions, stating that the arrest violated a court order.
According to Ojukwu, Achimugu returned to Nigeria voluntarily based on her commitment to the court but was detained upon arrival.
In response to the arrest, Ojukwu revealed that his client had begun a hunger strike in protest, calling her detention a breach of her fundamental rights. He referred to her as a “prisoner of conscience.”
An EFCC source, speaking anonymously, justified the arrest, stating that Achimugu had previously been declared wanted and the commission could not allow her to evade justice.
The source clarified that while the court had ordered her to appear, it did not restrict the EFCC from detaining her if necessary to ensure her appearance.
As of this report, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale had not responded to requests for comment.