Uche Amunike
Lifeandtimes News Writer
The FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has freed former Minister of Aviation, Oduah Stella from N2.5bn fraud charges, after striking a deal with the Nigerian government.
This ruling came after the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo reported that Oduah Stella and her co-defendant, Gloria Odita had refunded the loot for which they are charged.
Oyedepo clarified that the Federal government had received the amount of money, alledge to be stolen in the charges from Oduah and her co-defendant.
Hear him: ‘I have the instruction of the Attorney-General of the Federation to inform your Lordship that the state confirms receipt of the value of the subject matter of this charge.’
He requested for the charges of the two defendants to be struck out, and the defense lawyers supported his request.
The judge, Hamza Muazu ruled as requested and stated that: ‘The charge (relating to the former minister and her co-defendant) dated October 13, 2025 is hereby struck out and defendant is hereby discharged.’
The judge, however, convicted teo corporate entities through which the alleged fraud was committed and instructed them to make restitution of N1.2 bilion to the federal government.
Muazu also ordered the forfeiture of N780 million recovered by the investigating agency during the investigation.
Part of the settlement agreement were the forfeiture, restitution order and the conviction of the companies – Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited.
On Thursday, the proceedings were the culmination of the settlement talks between the parties which delayed the beginning of trial after the defendants were arraigned in December 2025.
Oyedepo initially spoke publicly about the settlement talks between the prosecution and the defendants during the proceedings on February 12.
He held back details when he stated that Oduah submitted the application in line with the provisions of Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which governs plea-bargaining in the Nigerian criminal justice system.
On March 5, 2026, he informed the judge that Miss Oduah and Ms Odita had begun making restitution. This was about three months after the defendants were arraigned on December 10, 2025 by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)’s office on five charges of N2.5 billion fraud.
They were accused of fraudulently obtaining N2.5 billion from the Ministry of Aviation, disguised as the cost of technical supervision and security.
It alleged that the defendants committed the offenses in January 2014, just a month before Oduah was forced out of office over a procurement scandal.
Recall that Odauh served as Minister of Aviation from July 2, 2011 to February 12, 2014 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. She subsequently served two times representing Anambra North Senatorial district from 2015 to 2023.
The office of the AGF brought the charges against them under Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006. The offenses are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
One of the counts alleged that Oduah Stella and her co-defendant obtained the whooping sum of N2.5 billion (N2,469,030,738.9) from the federal aviation ministry ‘through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited by false pretense’.
The prosecution also alleged that they knew that representing the money as ‘cost of technical supervision and security integrated and logistics support services’ was false.
They both pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
