ABUJA — A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has granted a final forfeiture order of properties worth over N9 billion linked to businesswoman, Ms. Aisha Achimugu, to the federal government.
The property include jewelries worth N4,645,170,294.90, eleven exotic cars worth N4,293,000,000, $50,000 and N30,000,000 cash.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie granted the order on Thursday, July 16, 2026 in a judgment on the application for final forfeiture of the properties by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The assets were identified by the EFCC as proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the Commission, investigations followed financial intelligence showing huge inflows and outflows from over 136 bank accounts linked to Achimugu which ran into billions of naira and millions of dollars.
The EFCC said investigations revealed that the huge funds that passed through companies operated by her were not disclosed as revenue in their financial statements filed at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.
In the course of investigation, the Commission executed searches at the residence of Achimugu where the assets forfeited were recovered. While being interrogated, she was given an Assets Declaration Form which she filled but did not disclose the recovered assets as her properties.
The EFCC said its findings showed that the huge funds received into accounts linked to her were not from legitimate business activities and that the recovered assets were not from lawful sources.
Following the outcome of the investigation, the EFCC through its legal team led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, filed an application for an interim order forfeiting the properties to the Federal Government in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.
The matter came up before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie and on April 23, 2026, the court granted the application and directed the EFCC to publish the order in national dailies for any person in possession or interested in the assets to show cause within 14 days why the final forfeiture order should not be granted.
The EFCC complied and published the order. It further filed a motion for final forfeiture of the properties.
Achimugu, through her legal team, filed affidavits to show cause why the assets should not be forfeited as well as a motion to set aside the interim order. This was opposed by the EFCC through a counter affidavit.
The court took arguments from parties and adjourned to July 16, 2026 for judgment.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the court granted a final order forfeiting the assets to the federal government of Nigeria.
The court found that Achimugu did not dislodge the evidence led by the EFCC and also failed to discharge the burden of showing that the assets were from lawful origins.
EFCC secures final forfeiture of N9bn jewelries, cars, cash linked to Achimugu
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