A former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, was on Wednesday arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, on a five-count charge accusing her of misappropriating about N5 billion in public funds.
Oduah appeared alongside one of her former aides, Gloria Odita, on the charge marked CR/606/2025, filed on October 14 by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The ex-minister and her co-defendant were alleged to have committed the offences between January and February 2014, during Oduah’s tenure as Minister of Aviation.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Shortly after the arraignment, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), representing Oduah, and Wale Balogun (SAN), representing Odita, applied for bail.
The AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), leading the prosecuting team, did not oppose the bail applications but urged the court to order the defendants to deposit their travel documents to ensure their availability for trial.
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Justice Hamza Muazu granted bail to both defendants on self-recognition. He directed Oduah to submit her international passport, which she could retrieve only with the court’s permission. He added that Odita’s passport, currently held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with another case, should not be released until that case concludes, after which it would be transferred to the FCT High Court.
The judge adjourned the case for trial to January 12 and 13.
The charges include:
That Oduah and Odita, in January 2014, obtained N2,459,030,733.50 through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely claiming the sum represented “cost of technical supervision” and “security integrated and logistic support services,” offences contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
That the duo, on January 13, 2014, obtained N839,780,738.90 through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited’s First Bank account by false pretences, representing it as “cost of technical supervision,” in violation of Section 1(1)(a) of the same Act.
That on February 12, 2014, they obtained N1,629,250,000 through Global Offshore Marine Limited’s First Bank account under the false claim of “security integrated support services,” also contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Act.
That Oduah and Odita, while serving as Minister of Aviation, misappropriated N839,780,738.90 authorized for I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, in breach of official trust under Sections 311 and 315 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
That the duo, on February 12, 2014, similarly misappropriated N1,629,250,000 assigned to I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, also violating Sections 311 and 315 of the Penal Code Law.
