The Federal Government has on Wednesday 10 December 2025 arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, in an Abuja High Court over alleged fraud of N2.4 billion fraud.
Oduah was arraigned alongside Gloria Odita on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in January 2014 to obtain a total of N2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd under alleged fraudulent claims.
The prosecution further alleged that Oduah and Odita “agreed amongst themselves to obtain a sum of Two Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦2,469,030,738.90) by false pretence.
”Pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’ and ‘Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services’, which representation you knew to be false.”
“The offence violates Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under Section 1(3)”
The government alleged that on January 13, 2014, the defendants “obtained the sum of Eight Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦839,780,738.90) by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’.
Count three alleges that on February 12, 2014, the defendants obtained ₦1,629,250,000 from the ministry through Global Offshore Marine Ltd, claiming it was for “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services”, a representation the prosecution says was false.
In counts Four and Five, the FG accused Oduah, as minister at the time, of dishonestly misappropriating the same sums earmarked for a contract awarded to 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd.
The charge states that she “dishonestly misappropriated the sum by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which act is a breach of your official trust,” contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
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