The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested prominent Nigerian businesswoman Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering and criminal conspiracy.
Achimugu was taken into custody around 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday shortly after arriving from London. Her arrest follows a warrant issued in March 2025, when the EFCC declared her wanted over financial crime allegations.
The arrest comes a day after the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice I.E. Ekwo, ordered Achimugu to present herself at the EFCC headquarters on Tuesday and appear before the court on Wednesday, April 30.
Her legal counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), condemned the arrest, claiming it violates a court agreement that allowed Achimugu to return voluntarily and honor the EFCC’s invitation.
“Mrs. Achimugu returned to Nigeria on her own accord, in line with a court undertaking made on Monday,” Ojukwu told reporters. “Despite this, she was arrested at the airport—this is a clear breach of her fundamental rights.”
According to Ojukwu, Achimugu has since begun a hunger strike to protest what he describes as her unlawful detention, referring to her as a “prisoner of conscience.”
As of press time, the EFCC has not issued an official statement regarding the arrest or the next steps in the investigation. Achimugu is expected to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
