The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released Nigerian businesswoman, Aisha Achimugu, after meeting the conditions attached to the administration bail set by the anti-graft agency following her alleged involvement in money laundering in the country.
The businesswoman was released by the anti-corruption agency barely a week after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered that the agency admit Achimugu to the administrative bail earlier granted to her, within 24 hours.
Achimugu was released by the agency days after the National Judicial Commission (NJC) suspended the judge presiding over her case, Justice Inyang Ekwo, over alleged misconduct, a development that has effectively halted her arraignment and other proceedings in the ongoing money laundering case against Achimugu.
An EFCC official, who does not want his name in public considering that he was not permitted to address the media. disclosed to The Guild on Wednesday that the socialite was released yesterday night after meeting the conditions set by the anti-graft agency for the bail.
He added that the socialite, who is believed to have close ties with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was said to have remain in the agency’s custody more than the time allotted over inability to meet the condition set by the EFCC.
The officer stressed that the bail does not indicated that the EFCC has left her off the hook, saying the release was in compliance with the court order and law of the country.
He added that the agency would be waiting for the court to assign her case to another judge who would hear EFCC allegations against the businesswoman.
Earlier, the Campaign for Social Justice and Constitutional Democracy (CSJCD), warned that the continued delay in reassigning the case undermines not only the fight against corruption but also public trust in the justice system.
In a statement issued in Lagos, CSJCD President, Festus Ogwuche, said: “The suspension of Justice Ekwo should not become a stumbling block to justice. The judiciary must move quickly to reassign the case to another judge. Delays only benefit the powerful and send the wrong message to ordinary Nigerians who look to the courts for redress”.
He stressed that while judicial discipline is necessary to maintain standards, it must be balanced with the imperative of timely justice.
“Integrity and speed are not mutually exclusive. The public expects a judiciary that is both upright and effective,” he added.
Ogwuche further noted that the Achimugu case exemplifies the structural challenges plaguing Nigeria’s legal system, where high-profile cases are frequently stalled by procedural hurdles, creating room for manipulation and weakening accountability.
“When a case involving alleged financial crimes is allowed to drift due to administrative lapses, the entire anti-corruption campaign suffers a blow,” he said.
Ohwuche also called on the NJC to establish clearer timelines for investigating and resolving judicial misconduct allegations, saying, “While it is essential to hold judges accountable, there must be mechanisms in place to ensure that ongoing cases are not abandoned. Justice delayed is justice denied.
“The Achimugu trial presents another opportunity for the judiciary to show Nigerians that no one is above the law and that the courts are capable of handling even the most sensitive cases without fear or favor.”
He reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to championing judicial reforms that prioritize both integrity and efficiency and urges the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to act decisively and reassign the Achimugu case without further delay.
“Our democracy cannot thrive without a strong, independent judiciary. It is time to demonstrate that the law applies to all, regardless of status or influence,” Ogwuche concluded.
