Nigerian oil tycoon Aisha Achimugu loses suit against EFCC

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a 10 billion naira ($7.5 million) lawsuit by Nigerian oil and gas businesswoman Aisha Achimugu, who accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of violating her right to privacy by searching her home and seizing her property.

Justice Musa Liman delivered the judgment on Monday, Oct. 12, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/466/2026, according to The Sun, Channels Television and the commission. He held that the EFCC, Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency, was entitled to search the residence after receiving intelligence about alleged criminal activity.

“The EFCC has the right to search the residence,” the judge said, according to Channels Television. He described the suit as “frivolous and it was brought in bad faith,” and found that Achimugu and her lawyers had not shown sufficient grounds for the damages she claimed.

What she asked for

Achimugu filed the case as a fundamental rights enforcement suit. She asked the court to decide whether the EFCC acted within its statutory powers when it searched her house and seized her cars, jewelry and other belongings. She also sought an order restraining the commission from threatening, harassing or invading her home, and 10 billion naira in damages for what she described as an invasion of her privacy, according to court reports.

The court found no basis to stop the EFCC from carrying out its statutory duties and refused the damages claim.

The commission’s lawyer, Emenike Mgbemele, said the judgment served the interest of justice and described the suit as an attempt to waste the court’s time, The Sun reported. Billionaires.Africa could not find a public response from Achimugu or her lawyers to the ruling, and reports did not say whether she plans to appeal.

The EFCC case

Achimugu is the group managing director and chief executive of Felak Concept Group, an Abuja-based company with interests in engineering, maritime services and oil and gas. The group includes Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd., which she has said acquired an oil block through a “competitive and transparent” bidding process.

The EFCC has been investigating her since at least February 2024. The commission alleges that funds moved through more than 130 bank accounts linked to her and her companies and that some of the money was connected to an alleged investment fraud. The EFCC also alleges that revenue passing through companies associated with her was not declared to Nigeria’s tax authority. Achimugu has not been convicted of any offense, and she has disputed the commission’s account.

The agency declared her wanted in March 2025 and arrested her at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on April 29, 2025, after she arrived from London. A day later, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court ordered the EFCC to release her within 24 hours. Her lawyer at the time, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, said she had returned voluntarily to honor the commission’s invitation and that the arrest breached a court order.

Assets forfeited

Courts have since granted several EFCC forfeiture applications. In March 2026, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court ordered the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to Achimugu and Oceangate, rejecting arguments that the money came from gifts or legitimate oil and gas contracts. Achimugu has said her firm took steps to challenge that ruling.

On July 16, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, ordered the permanent forfeiture to the federal government of assets the EFCC said were recovered from a search of her home, valued at more than 8.9 billion naira ($6.7 million). They included jewelry the commission valued at 4.65 billion naira ($3.5 million), 11 luxury vehicles worth 4.29 billion naira ($3.2 million), $50,000 in cash and 30 million naira ($22,500). The EFCC argued the items were proceeds of unlawful activity and said she had not declared them in an asset declaration form completed during the investigation.

In an interview with Channels Television in April 2026, Achimugu said her business started in 2001 and disputed the EFCC’s account of the money found at her home. “Only $50,000 and N13 million belonging to my mom was found in my house and my personal belongings,” she said, adding: “I’m not a bank.”