Nigerian business executive and socialite Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, April 29, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), shortly after arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Achimugu, who flew in from London, had been declared wanted by the EFCC in March over alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and money laundering. She was taken into custody around 5 a.m., according to her legal team, who maintained that she returned voluntarily to cooperate with investigators in line with a court directive.
The EFCC had earlier issued a public circular seeking information about her whereabouts. In the notice, the Commission stated: “The public is hereby notified that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.”
The notice, which was signed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale and circulated via social media, also described her as “51, an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State,” and listed her last known address as 6C Rudolf Close, Maitama, Abuja.
The move to declare her wanted followed a summons delivered to her residence in Abuja. In a letter dated March 4, the Commission invited her to appear for questioning on March 5 at its Port Harcourt office. The document, signed by the EFCC’s acting Zonal Director Adebayo Adeniyi, stated: “This commission is currently investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarification from you becomes imperative.”
After she failed to honour the invitation, the matter progressed to court. Her arrest follows a court order from Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who had directed her to present herself to the EFCC on April 29. Justice Ekwo also instructed that Achimugu must appear before the court on Wednesday, April 30, as part of ongoing proceedings related to the case.
Aisha Achimugu leads Felak Concept Group as its Managing Director and CEO, overseeing projects in civil, structural, and transportation engineering. She also serves as the chairperson of SAM Oil and Gas Limited, a company involved in petroleum exploration, production, and distribution. In addition to her business ventures, she established the SAM Empowerment Foundation, a non-profit focused on supporting women, young people, and children across Nigeria.
