EFCC finally arraigns Stella Oduah over ₦5bn fraud after three years

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has at last arraigned Stella Oduah, former aviation minister, on charges of fraud.

The EFCC alleges that Oduah misappropriated public funds amounting to N5 billion during her tenure as minister.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, was initially filed in 2020. However, the case had been subject to repeated delays for various reasons, leading to postponements of the arraignment between 2021 and 2023.

On Friday, Stella Oduah and eight other co-defendants were finally arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo at an Abuja federal high court. Among the defendants are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd.

Upon the arraignment, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 25-count charge, which includes alleged conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous accounts with First Bank Plc.

The arraignment marks a significant step in the long-standing case, bringing it closer to a formal trial. The public will be closely watching the proceedings as they unfold in the court of law. As an independent news outlet committed to delivering credible and impartial information, TopNaija.ng will continue to provide fair and unbiased coverage of the trial, keeping readers informed about the developments in this high-profile case.