The President of Women Community in Africa (WCA), Dr. Khadijah Abdullahi Iya, has commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for his focused and impactful efforts in tackling economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

She gave the commendation in Abuja on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the EFCC Chairman at the Commission’s Corporate Headquarters. Iya, who visited with her team, acknowledged the enormous efforts involved in the fight against corruption and stated: “We are seeing the positive results of your work and are ready to collaborate with the Commission in combating corrupt practices.”

She further highlighted the strides of WCA across Africa through its annual summit and periodic retreats, where issues such as literacy, leadership, women’s participation in governance, and empowerment are discussed. She also assured Olukoyede that the organisation remains committed to strengthening collaboration with the EFCC.

In his response, Olukoyede emphasised the importance of advocacy by women’s groups, noting that women play critical roles in nation-building. He expressed the Commission’s readiness to partner with WCA and similar organisations in the fight against corruption.

“We will collaborate with women to fight corruption. Women play crucial roles in child development and the impartation of values. These roles are imperative, and we will encourage women to be more forthcoming in this regard,” he said.

Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
April 22, 2026

Proceedings were stalled in the trial of a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, on Thursday, April 16, 2026, as he failed to file his final written address before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

Mamman is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering involving the sum of ₦33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo).

At Thursday’s proceedings, which were scheduled for the adoption of final written addresses, Mamman, through his counsel, Femi Atteh (SAN), acknowledged receipt of the prosecution’s final written address. He, however, drew the court’s attention to a motion filed on April 1, 2026, seeking an extension of time to enable him file his own final written address.

With no objection from the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the court granted the application.

Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter until April 23, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses.

Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
April 16, 2026

Sadiya Umar Farouq and Bashir Nura Alkali were scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday before the court but failed to appear. Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court.

The trio are to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and conversion of public funds amounting to about $1,300,000 (One Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) and ₦746,574,303 (Seven Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Three Naira).

Count one of the charge reads:

“That you, Sadiya Umar Farouq, while serving as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and Bashir Nura Alkali, while serving as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, between May 8, 2021 and September 22, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with certain property to wit, an aggregate sum of $1,300,000.00 (One Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you fraudulently converted the said sum to your personal benefit, which sum was meant to be refunded to the Ministry by Visual ICT Limited, being excess funds paid under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section.”

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the charge had been filed since December 15, 2025, but the first and second defendants could not initially be served.

“We could not arraign them on December 15 because we could not produce them. Their lawyers had promised to produce them, but we did not see them until your Lordship made an order for service. The defendants have now been served, my Lord, but only the third defendant has reported to the Commission after his surety was contacted. The third defendant’s surety is also in court,” he said.

Jacobs further informed the court that the first defendant had written to the Commission in 2024, stating she was travelling to Saudi Arabia for a medical check-up, and her passport was released to her for that purpose.

“My Lord, since that passport was released to her, she has not returned it to the Commission. We do not have any medical report from Saudi Arabia to date. Only this morning, my learned friend served me with an affidavit of facts, wherein the deponent claimed that the first defendant took ill. However, all the medical reports attached were issued after the charge had been filed. No medical report was provided at the time the passport was released,” he said.

Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim (SAN), informed the court that her absence was due to ill health. He also sought to tender an affidavit of facts, but the court rejected the application.

Jacobs further told the court that the EFCC intended to amend an ex parte motion filed on February 16, 2026, to limit the application to only the first and second defendants. He then prayed the court to issue a warrant of arrest against them.

“We are praying your Lordship to issue a bench warrant against the first and second defendants. This application is supported by an affidavit deposed to by one Celeb Peter on April 15, 2026, showing that the defendants were granted bail but failed to report back. The charge has been filed and served on them, yet they failed to appear before the court today. It is imperative, therefore, for this Honourable Court to permit the Commission to arrest them so that they can be compelled to appear,” he said.

Counsel to the defence, on the other hand, urged the court to allow him six weeks to produce the first defendant in court.

In a ruling on the applications, Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the first and second defendants and adjourned the matter to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and trial.

Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
April 16, 2026