EFCC Arrests Aisha Achimugu at Abuja Airport Over Alleged Financial Crimes

Abuja, Nigeria – In a major development in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, April 28, 2025, arrested prominent businesswoman Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The arrest was carried out in the early hours of the morning as she attempted to board an international flight reportedly bound for London.

Sources within the EFCC confirmed that Achimugu was placed on a watchlist days earlier due to ongoing investigations linking her to large-scale financial fraud, money laundering, and the misappropriation of government contracts. Acting on intelligence that she intended to leave the country, operatives moved swiftly to apprehend her before departure.

Aisha Achimugu, Chief Executive Officer of Felak Group, has long been recognized for her involvement in key infrastructure and oil and gas projects across Nigeria. However, recent probes by the anti-graft agency have linked her to a web of suspicious transactions involving inflated government contracts and alleged diversion of public funds. Several of the contracts in question were awarded during the administrations of previous government officials who are also under investigation.

Officials close to the matter disclosed that the arrest is part of a broader clampdown on high-level economic crimes involving a network of politically connected contractors and civil servants. A digital trail of financial transactions is said to have implicated Achimugu in the laundering of billions of naira through shell companies and offshore accounts.

The EFCC has yet to release a full statement regarding the specific charges, but spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest, stating: “The Commission is currently interrogating Mrs. Aisha Achimugu in connection with ongoing investigations. The public will be duly informed as progress is made.”

The arrest has sparked widespread public interest, with many Nigerians on social media demanding accountability and urging the EFCC to ensure due process. Legal representatives for Achimugu are expected to seek bail as the interrogation continues.

This arrest is seen as a significant step in the EFCC’s renewed campaign to crack down on elite corruption and restore public trust in governance. More updates are expected in the coming days.