Nigerian businesswoman and investor Aisha Achimugu has publicly accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of a pattern of rights violations, unlawful asset seizures, and reputational damage spanning more than two years. In a statement published on Tuesday, Achimugu said the agency's actions had put her life at risk, caused distress to her family, and disrupted her business interests in Nigeria and overseas.
Frozen Accounts and MBA Forex Link
Achimugu alleged that the EFCC froze her personal accounts, those of her children, and bank accounts of companies within the Felak Group in 2023, citing alleged ties to MBA Forex and Capital Investment. She denied holding any position, ownership stake, or formal association with the company, stating her business conducted only one transaction on its behalf. She added that she refunded N58 million to an EFCC recovery account in January 2024, after the Central Bank of Nigeria had publicly labelled MBA Forex a Ponzi scheme.
Regarding an EFCC invitation, Achimugu said she received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number on March 4, 2025, asking her to appear at the agency's Port Harcourt office the next day while she was outside the country. Her lawyer subsequently wrote to the EFCC confirming her unavailability and offering to bring her in on April 27 and 28, 2025.
Wanted Declaration and Home Raid
Achimugu alleged that on March 28, 2025, the EFCC declared her wanted for conspiracy and money laundering, a move she said came shortly after her company, Oceangate Oil & Gas Limited, submitted evidence of a $20 million payment to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for two petroleum prospecting licences. She also claimed EFCC operatives entered her home on the same date and removed jewellery, safes, and personal funds. The EFCC had previously announced it was seeking Achimugu in connection with criminal conspiracy and money laundering allegations and had publicised the seizure of assets tied to that investigation.
Arrest Despite Court Order
Achimugu said she filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja in April 2025. Despite what she described as a court order preserving the status quo, she alleged that EFCC operatives arrested her on her return to Nigeria on April 28, 2025, held her overnight, and delayed her release by five days even after she satisfied her bail conditions. She urged the National Assembly, the judiciary, security agencies, and local and international human rights bodies to investigate her claims and ensure any investigation involving her is carried out within the bounds of the law.
The EFCC had not issued a response to her specific claims at the time this report was filed.
