The Federal Government on Tuesday arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, and her former personal aide, Gloria Odita, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge of alleged advance fee fraud amounting to ₦5 billion.
The prosecution, led by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), accused Oduah and her aide of engaging in financial misconduct during her time in public office. Oduah, who served as aviation minister from 2011 to 2014 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has faced multiple allegations over the years relating to financial impropriety in the aviation sector, though she has consistently denied wrongdoing.
In the new charges, the government alleges that Oduah and Odita were involved in fraudulent schemes that contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. The details of the charges include alleged unlawful receipt and misappropriation of funds, as well as using fictitious representations to obtain financial benefits.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts as they stood before the court for their long-anticipated arraignment. Their appearances follow previous delays arising from legal objections, jurisdictional challenges, and requests for adjournments in earlier proceedings connected to investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Defence counsel Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN and Wole Balogun SAN urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that their clients had always made themselves available for court processes and posed no flight risk. The court agreed, granting the defendants bail on self-recognisance—a privilege typically reserved for high-ranking former public officials and individuals of considerable social standing.
Although the Attorney-General did not oppose the applications, the court imposed safeguards, ordering both women to deposit their international passports and travel documents with the court registrar. They must also seek permission before undertaking any foreign travel.
Oduah’s legal troubles have spanned years. In 2014, she was removed as aviation minister following controversy over the procurement of two bulletproof BMW cars for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), a saga that led to public outcry and parliamentary scrutiny. While that episode is legally distinct from the current charges, it has shaped public perceptions and placed her political career under repeated examination. She later served as a senator representing Anambra North, where she remained a prominent figure until the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated.
Her former aide, Odita, served in administrative and financial capacities during Oduah’s time in office and has been mentioned in earlier investigative documents tied to EFCC probes.
The arraignment marks a new phase in the Federal Government’s effort to resume prosecution of high-profile corruption cases that had stalled in previous years. Legal analysts say the decision of the Attorney-General to personally initiate the charges signals a renewed push to demonstrate political will in pursuing alleged financial crimes involving senior officials.
The court adjourned the matter to February 12 and 13, 2026 for trial, during which the prosecution is expected to call witnesses from regulatory agencies, financial institutions, and the aviation ministry to outline its case.
