Court seizes Aisha Achimugu’s cars in final forfeiture

An FCT High Court ordered the permanent forfeiture of exotic cars and properties linked to oil mogul Aisha Achimugu to the Federal Government.

Justice Jude Onwugbuzie of the FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Thursday, granted a final and permanent forfeiture of exotic properties linked to Aisha Achimugu. The order followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The socialite, businesswoman and oil mogul was arraigned in court in April 2025 after her arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Achimugu came into public attention after celebrating a week-long 50th birthday bash abroad and in Nigeria. The display of wealth, at a time when many Nigerians were struggling, attracted scrutiny. The EFCC’s investigation appears to have followed the money. The forfeiture order is the culmination of that investigation. But the case raises questions that the EFCC has not answered. What exactly did Achimugu do? How did she acquire the assets? And who else was involved?

This pattern of high-profile forfeitures, without corresponding convictions, has become a hallmark of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts. The EFCC seizes assets, but the suspects often avoid jail time. The 2022 case of a former governor whose properties were forfeited while he remained free is the precedent. The Achimugu case follows the same script: the assets are gone, but the person is still standing. The EFCC’s press releases are triumphant. The public’s scepticism remains.

Winners: The EFCC, the Federal Government, the court.

Losers: Aisha Achimugu, taxpayers who fund the EFCC but see few convictions.

Bottom Line: The forfeiture of Aisha Achimugu’s assets is a victory for the EFCC, but the absence of a conviction means the war on corruption is still being fought on one front only.