EFCC arraigns woman over N328.5m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a woman, Adeyinka Nike Aderonmu, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged fraud involving N328.5 million.

Aderonmu was arraigned on Wednesday by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC before Justice E. U. Akpan on a three-count charge bordering on the transfer and retention of funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offence involved transactions worth N328,558,800 carried out in 2025.

One of the charges alleged that the defendant transferred Viju Water products valued at N328.5 million, said to have been derived from unlawful activities, contrary to provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following her plea, prosecution counsel, F.A.I. Aesmebo, asked the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending trial.

Counsel to the defendant, however, urged the court to grant her bail.

Justice Akpan observed that the defence’s bail application was not yet before the court and subsequently ordered that Aderonmu be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State.

The matter was adjourned until July 8, 2026, for commencement of trial.