The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims that its ongoing investigation into Aisha Achimugu is politically motivated, emphasizing that the case has no connection to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In a statement issued Friday in Abuja, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale refuted speculation suggesting that the agency’s case against Achimugu was part of a broader political agenda.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to react to media reports linking its investigations of Ms. Aisha Achimugu with political undercurrents involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
We wish to state unequivocally that the investigations of Achimugu have no correlation of any kind with the two political actors. She is being investigated for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering and has since been declared Wanted by the Commission,” the agency said.
The statement follows widespread rumors linking the high-profile probe to prominent politicians. However, Oyewale stressed that the EFCC’s mandate remains focused on financial crimes, not political battles.
Achimugu, 51, a native of Ofu Local Government Area in Kogi State, has been under EFCC scrutiny since 2022. According to the agency, she sought a court injunction to prevent her arrest, interrogation, or detention. However, on February 19, 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled against her request, vacating the injunction.
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The court’s decision reinforced the authority of law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations where reasonable suspicion or evidence of wrongdoing exists. It also upheld an interim forfeiture order on assets suspected to be linked to criminal activities, dismissing Achimugu’s legal challenge as lacking merit.
“The ruling reaffirms that no court has the power to halt the investigative functions of the EFCC, the police, or any legally constituted agency tasked with probing criminal activities,” Oyewale said.
- He further stated that the EFCC’s case against Achimugu is strictly based on financial impropriety and does not involve any form of political retribution.
“The EFCC remains a non-partisan institution,” he said. “Our investigations are guided by professionalism, and we urge the public to avoid reading political motives into our work.”
- The agency’s statement comes amid heightened political tensions, with allegations of selective prosecution often surfacing in Nigeria’s politically charged environment. However, the EFCC maintains that its investigations are based solely on evidence and legal grounds.
- Achimugu’s case is one of several high-profile financial crime investigations in recent months, as the EFCC continues its crackdown on corruption and money laundering in the country.
- While critics have accused the commission of bias in the past, the agency insists that its work is not influenced by political affiliations or external pressures.
The EFCC called on the public to support its anti-corruption efforts and avoid spreading misinformation that could undermine its mandate.
As the case against Achimugu unfolds, the commission says it remains committed to due process, pledging to follow all legal protocols in its investigation.
