Mrs. Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation, was on Wednesday arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on charges bordering on alleged ₦2.5 billion fraud.
Former Minister Stella Oduah
She was arraigned alongside Ms. Gloria Odita by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. Both defendants are also standing trial in a separate ₦5 billion money laundering case before another court.
The five-count charge relates to alleged offences committed in January 2014, about a month before Oduah left office following a procurement scandal.
Oduah served as Minister of Aviation between July 2011 and February 2014 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and later represented Anambra North Senatorial District in 2015 and 2019.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained ₦2,469,030,738.9 from the Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited under false pretence that the funds were meant for technical supervision, security integration and logistics support services.
According to the charge, the defendants knew the representation was false, in contravention of Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Both pleaded not guilty.
Following their pleas, Oduah’s counsel, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), applied for bail, citing her status as a public figure. Odita’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Balogun (SAN), also urged the court to grant bail, noting that the defendants had already complied with bail conditions in a related case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who personally led the prosecution, did not oppose the bail applications but requested a definite trial date and that the defendants deposit their travel documents with the court.
Justice Hamza Muazu granted bail to both defendants on self-recognition and ordered that their travel documents be deposited with the court. He adjourned the case to Feb. 12 and 13, 2026 for trial.
Oduah and Odita are also facing trial in a separate ₦5 billion money laundering case alongside CCECC Nigeria Limited and others before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges, filed by the EFCC in December 2020, allege laundering of about ₦5,052,415,984 between February and June 2014, conspiracy, aiding and abetting money laundering, and opening anonymous bank accounts.
The prosecution further alleged that Oduah and Odita opened “Private Banking Nominee” accounts with First Bank, into which CCECC Nigeria Limited transferred over ₦2.5 billion between March and June 2014. All defendants have denied the allegations.
