A former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, has been brought before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama on a five-count charge, in which she is accused, among other things, of diverting about N5 billion in public funds.
Oduah appeared in court alongside one of her former aides, Gloria Odita, on the charge marked CR/606/2025, which was filed on October 14 by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The former minister and her co-accused were alleged to have committed the offences listed in the charge between January and February 2014, while she was serving in office.
Both defendants entered not-guilty pleas when the charge was read to them on Wednesday.
Immediately after their arraignment, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), who represented the former minister, and Wale Balogun (SAN), counsel for the second defendant, made applications for bail.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who led the prosecution, did not oppose the bail requests made by the defendants.
Fagbemi asked the court to direct the defendants to deposit their travel documents with the court to ensure that they are available throughout the trial.
In his ruling, Justice Hamza Muazu granted both defendants bail based on self-recognition and ordered Oduah to hand in her international passport, which she may only reclaim with the court’s authorisation.
Justice Muazu explained that since Odita’s passport is currently held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with another case, it should not be released until that matter is concluded, after which it must be transferred to his court.
The judge adjourned the case to January 12 and 13 for trial.
The counts in the charge read:
*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, at some point in January 2014 in Abuja, agreed amongst yourselves to carry out an unlawful act, namely: obtaining the substantial sum of N2,459,030,733.5 through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited by false pretence from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely claiming that the said sum represented “cost of technical supervision” and “security integrated and logistic support services,” which claim you knew was false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, on the 13th of January 2014 in Abuja, by false pretence and with the intention to defraud, obtained through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited’s account No: 2023201064 domiciled with First Bank Plc, the sum of N839,780,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely claiming that the said sum represented “cost of technical supervision,” which claim you knew was false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, on the 12th of February 2014 in Abuja, by false pretence and with the intention to defraud, obtained through Global Offshore Marine Limited’s account No: 2022977296 domiciled with First Bank Plc, the sum of N1,629,250,000 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely claiming that the said sum represented “security integrated support services,” which claim you knew was false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, on the 13th of January 2014 in Abuja, whilst serving as the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and having control over the contract awarded to I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N839,780,738.90 by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which act constitutes a breach of your official trust contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, on the 12th of February 2014 in Abuja, whilst serving as the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and having control over the contract awarded to I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N1,629,250,000 by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which act constitutes a breach of your official trust contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
