BREAKING: Court acquits ex-Minister Stella Oduah of alleged ₦2.5 Billion fraud charge

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has discharged and acquitted former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, of all charges in a case that has lingered since 2020.

Justice Muazu delivered the ruling on March 26, 2026, following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, who amended the original charge. The revised charge removed Oduah and another defendant, Gloria Odita, replacing them with two corporate entities.

The companies—Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited—were subsequently arraigned, with their representatives pleading guilty to the charges. Based on the plea, the prosecution urged the court to convict the firms and order their winding up, a request that was not opposed by defence counsel.

The court convicted both companies and ordered that they be wound up in accordance with the law.

Following the development, counsel to Oduah, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), applied for her discharge, which the court granted. Similarly, Wale Balogun (SAN), representing Gloria Odita, secured the discharge of his client.

The case, instituted in December 2020, has now been concluded, bringing to an end proceedings that many observers believed carried political undertones. The offences in the amended charge were brought under Section 319A of the Penal Code Act applicable in the FCT.

Background

The trial of former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, which began in December 2020, formed part of a series of high-profile corruption cases involving public officials and politically exposed persons in Nigeria.

The case, instituted under provisions of the Penal Code Act of the Federal Capital Territory, centred on allegations linked to financial infractions involving corporate entities.

Over the years, the proceedings attracted significant public and political attention, with observers often interpreting the case through the lens of Nigeria’s broader anti-corruption efforts and intra-elite rivalries.

The prolonged nature of the trial further underscored concerns about delays in the judicial process and the complexities associated with prosecuting high-level cases.

The eventual amendment of charges by the prosecution and the shift in focus to the culpability of the companies involved reflect a pattern seen in similar cases, where legal strategies evolve as proceedings unfold.

The development marks the conclusion of a legal contest that had, for years, remained a subject of both judicial scrutiny and political debate.

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