Breaking: EFCC Denies Authorization Of Charges Against Former Aviation Minister, Oduah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, has distanced itself from the actions of police lawyer, Ibrahim Mohammed, who filed a criminal charge against former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah.

The agency told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday that Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police, was neither mandated nor authorised to press any criminal charges against Mrs. Oduah, currently a senator representing Anambra North.

Speaking in court, EFCC’s counsel, Helen Okonofua, stated that Mohammed, who alleged to be acting from the Legal Department of the Force Headquarters, was not authorised to represent the EFCC in prosecuting Mrs. Oduah on any criminal matter.

Okonofua clarified that Mohammed had worked with the EFCC previously but was re-assigned back to the police force on November 4, 2022. “He had since had nothing to do with the EFCC,” she said.

The EFCC’s legal representative also noted that the criminal charge filed on June 22, 2023, by the police lawyer did not have the authority or approval of the agency.

She informed Justice James Omotoso that the EFCC has been investigating Mohammed, as per the judge’s orders.

The findings from this investigation will be filed at the court registry and made available to the court at a later date.

Following this information, Justice Omotoso has set October 4, 2023, for the EFCC to formally present the investigation report to the court.

Earlier, on July 11, Justice Omotoso had instructed the EFCC to investigate Mohammed for filing unsupported criminal charges against the former minister in the name of the EFCC.

The judge had spotted inconsistencies in the charges and queried Mohammed, who admitted that he had not been authorized by the EFCC to file the charges. In his defense, Mohammed admitted his error, attributing it to human error.