Aisha Achimugu arrested by EFCC at Abuja Airport upon her return from London

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested socialite and businesswoman Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday morning.

Achimugu, who had been declared wanted by the EFCC in March, was taken into custody shortly after arriving from London at around 5 a.m.

Achimugu, facing allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering, had been instructed by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday, and subsequently, in court on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

• Her lawyer, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu, confirmed her arrest, stating, “Aisha Achimugu, who voluntarily returned to the country from London, was arrested by the EFCC around 5 a.m. on Tuesday.”

• Ojukwu, however, criticized the EFCC for what he described as a violation of a court order.

• He further argued that his client had returned to Nigeria based on her commitment to honor the court’s directive and the EFCC’s invitation, not expecting arrest upon her arrival.

“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.

Ojukwu also revealed that Achimugu had started a hunger strike in protest, calling herself a “prisoner of conscience” due to the alleged breach of her fundamental rights.

An anonymous source within the EFCC confirmed Achimugu’s arrest.

“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; what the court said was if she comes, she should not be detained.

“How are you sure she would appear before us today? Now that we have seen her, we have a course to ensure she appears,” the source stated.

At the time of filing this report, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale had not responded to inquiries regarding the arrest.