FG arraigns ex-Aviation Minister Stella Oduah over alleged N5bn fraud

The Federal Government on Wednesday reignited its long-running corruption probe into former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, as she was arraigned before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court over alleged involvement in a N5 billion fraud scheme.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, filed a five-count charge against the former minister, accusing her of conspiracy and advance fee fraud in a string of financial transactions linked to her tenure in office.

Prosecutors alleged that Oduah fraudulently obtained N2.4 billion from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources under the guise of “technical supervision,” a transaction investigators say took place in January 2014.

In separate counts, she was further accused of receiving N1.6 billion and N839 million through similar pretences, offences said to contravene Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.

Oduah, arraigned alongside her co-defendant, Gloria Odita, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Her legal team, led by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), challenged the allegations, while Odita was represented by Wale Balogun (SAN).

After hearing arguments, Justice Muazu granted the former minister bail on self-recognition, a privilege that acknowledges her status but imposes strict restrictions.

She was ordered to deposit her international passport with the court and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without express judicial approval.

The latest arraignment marks the Federal Government’s second attempt to prosecute Oduah. A previous set of charges filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja had been withdrawn, clearing the way for a fresh process.

As courtroom proceedings resumed, the case once again thrust one of Nigeria’s most controversial public-finance sagas back into national focus, raising questions about accountability, prosecution strategy, and the slow, often tangled path of high-profile corruption cases in the country.