A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to grant Aisha Achimugu administrative bail and ensure her release within 24 hours.
In a brief ruling on Wednesday, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, also ordered parties in the suit to come back and report on compliance with the order on May 2, 2025.
Achimugu, the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Felak Concept Group, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at about 5 am on Tuesday after arriving in Nigeria from London.
The anti-graft agency had declared the businesswoman wanted for alleged money laundering on March 28.
On April 3, Achimugu, through her lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, filed a fundamental rights suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/626/2025 challenging the arrest warrant by the EFCC.
She described the arrest warrant as “unwarranted, unjustifiable, devoid of probable cause”, and designed to humiliate her.
She prayed the court for “an interim injunction to stop the agencies from arresting or harassing her, invading her property, or infringing on her rights to liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement”.
On Monday, the federal high court ordered Achimugu to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday for interrogation over money laundering allegations.
Although Ogunwumiju told the court that his client had notified the commission of her intending return, Achimugu was arrested at the airport on Tuesday.
The EFCC presented Achimugu the resumed court session of the fundamental rights suit on Wednesday.
Parties presented themselves in the Judge’s chambers before coming out to the open court.
Ekwo then ordered EFCC to finalise on the applicant’s administrative bail and release her.
EFCC is yet to file a criminal charge against the businesswoman.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
