Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives arrested high-profile businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at exactly 5:12 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, moments after she touched down from London. The arrest, confirmed by her legal team, follows a Federal High Court order mandating her to face ongoing interrogation over a multi-billion naira money laundering investigation.
Achimugu, widely known for her influence in oil and maritime sectors and her extravagant birthday bash in January 2023 that trended nationwide, had reportedly indicated through her lawyers that she would honor the EFCC’s summons. Her legal counsel had also informed Justice Inyang Ekwo of her intention to report at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja the same day.
Justice Ekwo, sitting at the Federal High Court in Abuja, had on Monday, April 28, directed Achimugu to appear before the EFCC by April 29 and to return to court the following day, April 30, for a formal continuation of the case. The court’s directive followed EFCC filings that accused her of criminal conspiracy and laundering proceeds from contracts linked to federal procurement and petroleum deals spanning 2021–2024.
Investigators believe Achimugu played a central role in a financial web that allegedly moved funds through shell companies and offshore accounts to conceal the source of large payments originating from government-linked contractors. Sources close to the investigation say the EFCC has been tracking the case since late 2023 and has secured several electronic bank records and property ownership documents as part of its evidence.
This is not the first time Achimugu has been mentioned in controversy. In March 2024, she was listed in a leaked report submitted to the National Assembly by a whistleblower, flagging over ₦19.8 billion in suspicious transactions allegedly routed through firms where she served as a beneficial owner. Until now, however, no arrest had been made.
The EFCC’s latest crackdown comes amid rising pressure on anti-graft agencies to deliver results under the Nigeria Financial Intelligence and Transparency Reform, signed into law in June 2024, which mandates tighter controls on politically exposed persons and major private contractors with federal links.
As Achimugu remains in EFCC custody pending her court appearance on April 30, public attention is locked on the possible political and economic ripple effects. She remains one of the most powerful female entrepreneurs in Nigeria’s corporate landscape and has ties to major oil blocs, elite social circles, and strategic government liaisons.
