Court Discharges Ex-Aviation Minister Oduah, Odita Over Alleged N2.4bln Fraud

Stella Oduah, former Aviation Minister and her former aide, Gloria Odita, have been cleared of N2.5 billion fraud charges.

In a Thursday ruling, Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court discharged the pair after the federal government decided to drop them from the suit.

The OAGF has now pivoted the case toward two corporate entities—Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited—rather than the individuals.

The shift comes on the heels of plea bargain negotiations, though a brief stand-down was required to finalize who would legally represent the two firms in court.

In the amended two-count charge, Sobora International was accused of unlawfully possessing N838m, while Global Offshore was alleged to have unlawfully possessed N1.629b.

When the case was recalled in the afternoon, the ex-minister stood as the representative of both firms and pleaded guilty, on their behalf, to the amended charge.

Following the guilty plea entered for the two firms, Oyedepo urged the court to convict them and issue an order winding them up.

Oyedepo also urged the court to order the forfeiture of N1.2 billion, paid as restitution by the companies (as detailed in a bank draft submitted to the court), and N780 million recovered by investigators during the investigation, to the Federal Government.

Counsel to the companies, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), did not object to Oyedepo’s requests, which the judge granted in his ruling.

Justice Muazu convicted the companies based on their guilty plea, issued an order winding them up, and further ordered that the N1.2b paid as restitution and the N780m recovered during the investigation be forfeited to the FG.

The judge equally issued an order striking out the earlier charge, dated October 13, 2025, which contained the names of the ex-minister and Odita, and proceeded to discharge them.