A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has discharged former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, from allegations of ₦2.5 billion fraud after a settlement agreement with the Federal Government.
The decision followed a report presented by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, confirming that funds linked to the case had been refunded by the defendants.
Presiding judge, Hamza Muazu, subsequently struck out the charges and formally discharged Oduah alongside her co-defendant.
However, the court found two companies—Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited—guilty in connection with the transactions. The firms were ordered to repay ₦1.2 billion to the government and forfeit an additional ₦780 million recovered during the investigation.
The case originated from allegations that the defendants fraudulently obtained ₦2.5 billion from the Ministry of Aviation between January and February 2014 under the guise of payments for technical supervision, security, and logistics services.
Proceedings were conducted under the plea bargain provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Oduah served as aviation minister from 2011 to 2014 during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan and later represented Anambra North Senatorial District in the National Assembly between 2015 and 2023.
The ruling brings to an end months of negotiations that had delayed the trial since the defendants were first arraigned in December 2025.
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