A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed an application by a United Kingdom citizen and businesswoman, Aminah Momoh-Orimoloye, seeking to be released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Musa Kakaki, in his ruling on Monday, September 15, 2025, held that Momoh-Orimoloye’s detention was not a violation of her fundamental rights since the EFCC had already granted her administrative bail.
The judge noted that she simply failed to provide credible sureties as required by law to meet the bail conditions.
Momoh-Orimoloye, who is the coordinator of the Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth in Livestock Agriculture (EEWYLA), was arrested on August 5, 2025. She faces allegations of conspiracy and the diversion of N500 million.
According to a petition received by the EFCC, Momoh-Orimoloye, along with two other individuals, Abdullahi Bala Muhammed and Auwal Ali, allegedly diverted the funds.
The petitioner claimed to have transferred N1.663 billion into Muhammed’s account for a foreign exchange transaction. While a portion of the funds, N1.163 billion, was returned, the N500 million balance was not.
In court, Momoh-Orimoloye’s lawyer, Abimbola Akeredolu, SAN, had argued that her client’s detention was a violation of her rights and that the bail conditions imposed by the EFCC were excessive.
However, the EFCC, represented by its counsel, S.I. Suleiman, countered the application, stating that Momoh-Orimoloye presented questionable sureties and attempted to mislead investigators.
Suleiman informed the court that one of the sureties, Aliu Adekunle John, admitted he was asked to falsely represent himself as a family member to secure her release.
The EFCC also maintained that Momoh-Orimoloye, being a foreign resident, remains a flight risk.
Justice Kakaki’s ruling reaffirmed that the businesswoman’s inability to meet her bail conditions was not a legal issue with the EFCC, but rather her own failure to provide credible sureties.
He stated, “Having been granted bail, what the applicant ought to do is fulfill the bail terms.”