“Linking Achimugu’s Investigation With Atiku, Sanwo-Olu, Mischievous” – EFCC

By Akinwale Kasali

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has described as mischief, any connection with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to its investigation of socialite and businesswoman, Aisha Achimugu.

The EFCC had invited Achimugu in connection with an investigation of fraud and money laundering where her name featured. The invitation was to its Port Harcourt Zonal Headquarters  against March 5, in a letter dated March 4, 2025, which they delivered to her Abuja residence.

However, she did not honour the invitation. Instead, said reports, she travelled out of the country forcing the EFCC to go to Court for a warrant of arrest with which she was declared wanted.

But out of the blues, reports surfaced and connected Achimugu’s EFCC problem to politics. They said it was discovered that during the 2023 General Elections, Achimugu, a friend of Governor Sanwo-Olu, was given money by the Governor for onward delivery to Atiku. Meaning that Sanwo-Olu, an APC Governor, funded Atiku as well. The consequence, the report said, is that Tinubu’s anger has descended on Sanwo-Olu whose job and political future, they say, are now on the line.

An infuriated Atiku,  while denying that he received even a kobo from the Governor, alerted that President Tinubu was after him and Sanwo-Olu. He pointed out that he had never met before with Sanwo-Olu.

However, Atiku’s allegation has been strongly denied by the Presidency which advised him to get serious.

On Friday, the EFCC weighed in and rubbished reports which linked its investigation of Achimugu with any political relationship between her, Atiku or Sanwo-Olu.

In a statement issued by its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the Commission explained that its investigation of Achimugu for conspiracy and money laundering began since 2022.

The statement said that Achimugu had, earlier, obtained a Court injunction  which restrained the EFCC from arresting, investigating or detaining  her. But it is an injunction the EFCC said it successfully challenged and vacated on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, which prompted its invitation to her. The Court, also, upheld an interim order of forfeiture of Achimugu’s assets suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Said the statement:

“We wish to state, unequivocally, that the investigations of Achimugu have no correlation of any kind with the two political actors. She is being investigated for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering and has since been declared wanted by the Commission.

“The foregoing clearly establishes that the EFCC’s case against her has no immediate or remote nexus with any politician or any veiled or open reference to any political engagement or transaction.

“The EFCC is non- partisan and non-sectarian. We enjoin the public to continue to keep faith with the professionalism of the Commission without inputting any extraneous consideration to its works.”