The federal high court in Lagos has rejected an application by Aminah Momoh-Orimoloye, a businesswoman, seeking release from the custody Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Musa Kakaki, the presiding judge, on Monday, ruled on the application filed by Momoh-Orimoloye.
According to the EFCC, Momoh-Orimoloye is a citizen of the United Kingdom (UK) and coordinator of the Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth in Livestock Agriculture (EEWYLA).
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She was arrested on August 5 following a petition bordering on alleged conspiracy and diversion of funds.
THE SUIT AGAINST EFCC
The businesswoman, through her lawyer, Abimbola Akeredolu, filed a suit against the EFCC and asked the court to order her release from custody.
“An order compelling the respondent (EFCC) to produce the applicant in court to enable this honourable court to inquire into the circumstances constituting the grounds of her detention since August 5, 2025, by officers of the respondent and, where it deems fit, admit the applicant to bail,” the suit reads.
“An order admitting her to bail pending the conclusion of investigation (if any) or pending when the EFCC will prefer a criminal charge (if any) against her.
“An order of the honourable court directing and mandating the respondent (EFCC) to immediately release her within 24 hours from custody in line with the terms of bail granted to her by this honourable court. And such further order or orders as the honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
EFCC’S COUNTER-APPLICATION
However, in a 29-paragraph counter-affidavit, which was deposed by John Justice, an investigator with the EFCC, the anti-graft agency asked the court to dismiss the applicant’s motion for lacking in merit.
The EFCC said it received a petition from one Salihu Mohammed alleging conspiracy and misappropriation of funds by Momoh-Orimoloye and others at large.
According to the EFCC, the petitioner claimed that he was engaged by one of his customers on July 31, 2025, for a foreign exchange transaction worth N1.663 billion, but he had already reached his daily transfer limit.
He asked his friend, Abdullahi Bala Muhammad, to allow the payment to be made into his account.
The petitioner said the entire amount was credited to Mohammed, who later remitted only N1.163 billion and has since been giving excuses for failing to release the remaining N500 million.
ADMINISTRATIVE BAIL GRANTED
The anti-graft agency told the court that Momoh-Orimoloye was granted administrative bail with a condition of a
two sureties.
The sureties are expected to be directors in either the federal or state civil service and also holders of certificates of occupancy in respect of properties situated in Lagos.
“But that the applicant presented unreliable sureties, who were discovered to have deliberately given false information to the respondent, all in a desperate bid to secure the release of the applicant without fully fulfilling conditions of the administrative bail,” the agency told the court.
“That the applicant presented one Aliu Adekunle John, who, upon interview, confirmed that he was approached to make a false representation to officers of the respondent that he is a family member of the applicant.”
The anti-graft agency said Momoh-Orimoloye is a flight risk since she resides outside the shores of Nigeria.
The presiding judge ruled that since the EFCC granted her bail and she could not meet the bail conditions, it is not right to say her rights were breached.
