Former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, was on Wednesday docked before an Abuja High Court by the Federal Government on a five-count charge bordering on alleged N2.4 billion fraud.
Oduah, who served as Aviation Minister from 2011 to 2014, was docked alongside her former aide, Gloria Odita.
Aside from their alleged involvement in contract fraud, the defendants were further accused of criminal breach of trust and obtaining by false pretence, offences contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the the same Act.
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Meanwhile, the duo pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to them before trial Justice Hamza Muazu.
Specifically, FG alleged that the defendants had in 2914, conspired to obtain a total of N2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through two firms- Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd- under fraudulent claims.
It was alleged that they claimed that the fund was meant to cover costs for “Technical Supervision,” as well as “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,” knowing same to be false.
Following the plea of innocence by the defendants, their counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, and Mr. Wale Balogun, respectively, applied for their release on bail, pending the determination of the case.
Ikpeazu, prayed the trial judge to grant the former Minister bail on self-recognition in view of status, adding that she voluntarily flew back to the country from the United States of America to honour a summon from the court.
He further drew attention of the court to the fact that the defendant was earlier granted administrative bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Counsel to the 2nd defendant also told the court that his client never violated terms of her administrative bail.
In his response, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, who personally appeared for the prosecution, said he was not opposed to the defendants’ request for bail.
The AGF, however, urged the court to order the defendants to surrender their travel documents as part of the condition for their release on bail.
More so, he sought a short adjournment to enable full blown hearing of the case.
In his ruling, Justice Muazu granted the bail application as prayed, relying on the fact that it was not opposed.
The court seized international passports or the defendants, warning them not to travel out of the country without permission.
The case was subsequently adjourned till February 12 and 13, 2026, for trial.
In count two of the charge, FG, 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’.”
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In another count, it was alleged that the defendants, on February 12, 2014, 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 said was false.
It was alleged that the former minister, while in office, dishonestly misappropriated funds earmarked for a contract awarded to a firm identified as 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd.
