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Aisha Achimugu accuses EFCC of rights violations, calls for rule of law
By : Adenike Ibirogba
Date: 21 July 2026 7:50pm WAT
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Aisha Achimugu is the Group Chief Executive Officer, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited
Businesswoman and investor Aisha Achimugu has publicly accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of violating her fundamental rights, unlawfully targeting her businesses and conducting what she described as a sustained media campaign against her, while urging Nigerian authorities and the international community to uphold the rule of law and protect legitimate investments.
In a lengthy statement made available to the Guardian, Achimugu, an accountant and entrepreneur, stated that she had endured nearly two years of investigations, asset seizures, account freezes and public attacks despite maintaining her innocence and cooperating with anti-graft authorities.
She said the campaign had endangered her life, those of her children and parents, damaged her reputation and disrupted investments exceeding $100 million across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and other industries.
“I am not a criminal, and I have never been convicted of any offence,” she said, adding that she had honoured more than 20 invitations from the EFCC and remained willing to submit herself to due process.
Achimugu alleged that the EFCC froze her personal and corporate bank accounts in connection with investigations involving MBA Forex and Capital Investment after she was wrongly linked to the company. According to her, she clarified that her company had only undertaken a single business transaction on behalf of the firm and subsequently refunded ₦58 million to the commission as requested.
She further claimed that despite maintaining communication with the EFCC through her legal representatives regarding invitations for questioning, she was declared wanted in March 2025 shortly after her company, Oceangate Oil & Gas Limited, paid $20 million to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for oil assets.
According to her, armed EFCC operatives later searched her residence and seized jewellery, personal funds and other valuables.
The businesswoman also alleged that despite obtaining court orders in proceedings relating to her fundamental rights, she was arrested upon her return to Nigeria in April 2025, detained beyond the period ordered by the court and compelled to surrender her international passport.
She further accused the anti-graft agency of obtaining ex parte forfeiture orders over assets connected to her companies while appeals and other court proceedings remained pending.
Achimugu claimed the investigations and subsequent publicity surrounding the case had resulted in the closure of several international banking relationships, loss of financing opportunities and damage to her personal and business reputation.
She also alleged that information circulated about the investigation had affected her international travel, including the revocation of her United States visa and complications relating to her Grenadian citizenship, preventing her from attending an executive programme at Harvard University.
According to her, the consequences of the investigations had extended beyond her businesses to affect her family, employees and philanthropic activities.
Achimugu said she had invested almost $90 million in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector over the past five years and attracted investments exceeding $100 million into the country through her various business interests.
She also highlighted the activities of the Sam Empowerment Foundation, which she said had funded health, education, scholarship, water and community development projects across Nigeria.
Calling on the National Assembly, the judiciary, security agencies, human rights organisations and the international business community to intervene, Achimugu urged authorities to protect legitimate investors and ensure court orders are respected.
She maintained that her legal team was pursuing remedies in Nigerian and international courts and reiterated her willingness to cooperate with lawful investigations.
