Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has discharged a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, from a ₦2.5 billion fraud charge.
The court also discharged her former aide, Gloria Odita.
Their discharge followed the prosecution’s decision to discontinue the case against them after a plea bargain agreement was reached.
However, the Federal Government retained two companies linked to Oduah, Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited as defendants in an amended charge.
Counsel to the Federal Government, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that following a review of the case in line with the plea agreement, the prosecution opted to proceed against the companies, which allegedly benefited from the fraud.
In the amended two-count charge, Sobora International Limited was accused of unlawfully possessing ₦838 million, while Global Offshore and Marine Limited was alleged to have possessed ₦1.629 billion.
After guilty pleas were entered on behalf of the companies, the prosecution urged the court to convict them, order their winding up, and approve the forfeiture of funds recovered during the investigation.
Oyedepo specifically asked the court to forfeit ₦1.2 billion paid as restitution, submitted via bank draft as well as ₦780 million recovered by investigators.
Counsel for the defendants, Onyechi Ikpeazu and Wale Balogun, did not oppose the application.
In his ruling, Justice Muazu convicted the two companies based on their guilty pleas and ordered that they be wound up. He also directed that the ₦1.2 billion restitution and the ₦780 million recovered be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge subsequently struck out the earlier charge dated October 13, 2025, which included Oduah and Odita as defendants, effectively discharging them from the case.
Oduah and Odita had been arraigned in December 2025 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust.
The prosecution had alleged that the defendants conspired in January 2014 to obtain ₦2.4 billion from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited under false claims.
The offences were said to contravene Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, punishable under Section 1(3).
The defendants had initially pleaded not guilty before entering into the plea bargain.
