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How Nigeria’s Attorney General Fagbemi Botched Oba Otudeko’s N12.3Billion Alleged Fraud Case – Report

ByOlamilekan Adigun

PublishedJune 11, 2025

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), reportedly overruled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), preventing the agency from compelling the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, to appear for arraignment in an alleged N12.3 billion fraud case.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, sources familiar with the matter stated that a meeting was convened involving the EFCC due to a crisis in the handling of the case.

The report stated that during the meeting, the EFCC cited a case involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, arguing that Oba Otudeko must enter a plea before any settlement discussions could commence.

The AGF, however, intervened, informing the court that his office had assumed control of the case and that negotiations were underway to potentially resolve the matter, the report stated.

This prompted the judge presiding over the case to adjourn the proceedings.

“The AGF overruled the EFCC, preventing the agency from forcing Oba Otudeko to appear for arraignment,” one of the sources told Saharareporters.

“They called a meeting because there was a crisis. Yahaya Bello’s case was cited as a reason why Oba Otudeko must take a plea before a settlement could be reached. But the AGF overruled them and told the court his office had taken over the case and that a negotiation had commenced.

“That was how the AGF forced the judge handling the case to adjourn the matter,” the source added.

The report further noted that the case was adjourned on Thursday, March 8, to June 11, 2025, to allow the parties time to either reach a settlement or proceed with the arraignment.

Presiding over the matter, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the adjournment following submissions from both defence and prosecution counsel, the report stated.

The case, initiated by the Lagos Directorate 1 of the EFCC, accuses Otudeko and co-defendants of a 13-count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining money by false pretence.

Otudeko is being tried alongside former First Bank Managing Director, Olabisi Onasanya, former Honeywell board member Soji Akintayo, and the firm Anchorage Leisure Limited.

At the previous court session held on March 17, 2025, Otudeko’s legal counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), disclosed that the AGF Fagbemi had called for a meeting with all parties to explore an out-of-court settlement.

The meeting was reportedly held on March 12, and the nominal complainant attended it.

It was reported that a follow-up meeting took place on April 9, 2025; however, no final agreement was reached.

During the court sitting on May 8, defence counsel Bode Olanipekun (SAN) updated the court that negotiations were ongoing. Prosecuting counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala confirmed this and requested an adjournment to allow time for further developments.

Justice Aneke subsequently adjourned the matter to June 11, 2025, for a “report on settlement and/or arraignment”.

Also, on Monday, March 17, Justice Aneke ordered Oba Otudeko to appear in court for his arraignment over the alleged multi-billion-dollar fraud.

Meanwhile, the defendants had filed preliminary objections challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try the case in an attempt to avoid arraignment, Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head of Media & Publicity, had said in a statement.

Efforts by Saharareporters to reach the Special Assistant to the President on Communication and Publicity in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Kamarudeen Ogundele, for comments were unsuccessful.

Olamilekan Adigun

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.