Businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) early Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon her return from London.
Achimugu had been declared wanted in March over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
Her arrest came hours after the Federal High Court in Abuja directed her to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday and to be present in court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
According to her lawyer, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu, Achimugu returned voluntarily to the country based on an agreement made in court.
“Aisha Achimugu, who voluntarily returned to the country from London, was arrested by the EFCC around 5 a.m. on Tuesday,” Ojukwu confirmed.
Despite the court order that she should not be detained upon appearance, EFCC operatives proceeded with her arrest.
A source within the commission who chose to remain anonymous stated, “We had earlier declared her wanted and we can’t allow her to continue to walk freely. Secondly, the court said she must appear before us today. We were not restricted from arresting her.”
The source further added, “How are you sure she would appear before us today? Now that we have seen her, we have a course to ensure she appears.”
Ojukwu, however, raised concerns about the handling of his client’s return, arguing that the arrest breached the trust placed in the court proceedings.
“In light of what transpired in court on Monday, my client returned based on the undertaking before the court to honour the EFCC’s invitation, but was arrested at the airport,” he said.
He criticized the commission for not respecting the court’s directive, emphasizing that Achimugu should not have been detained after voluntarily presenting herself.
He revealed that she has since begun a hunger strike in protest, calling herself a “prisoner of conscience” and claiming her basic rights had been violated.
The EFCC is yet to release an official statement.
As of the time of this report, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale had not responded to requests for comment.
