Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja, today adjourned the trial of a former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah and one other facing trial before the court for an alleged N2.4billion fraud charge to March 26 for the report of the defendants’ plea bargain discussion with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Oduah, who served as minister between July 2011 and February 2014 under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, and one Gloria Odita were on December 10, 2025, arraigned by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence and criminal breach of trust.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
At the last sitting in the case on February 12, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, who doubles as the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), informed the that as the prosecution was preparing for hearing, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, received an application from the former minister for discussions.
The application, according to Oyedepo, was brought pursuant to Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He, therefore, sought an adjournment for parties to hold discussions and report back to the court or have a definite trial.
Based on this, the court adjourned until March 5 for trial.
However, at today’s proceedings in the case, Oyedepo informed the court that both defendants approached the AGF for a plea bargain and subsequently made payment to the government coffers.
He, however, said what was left was for the government to confirm the bank draft with which payment was made by the defendants.
The DPPF then asked for another adjournment to enable the government confirm the payment made by the defendants through a bank draft.
Counsels for Oduah, Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN, and that for Odita, Favour Osunaya, both confirmed that what the prosecuting counsel told the court was the true position of things.
The court then adjourned until March 26 for a report on the plea bargain.
In the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/606/25, the prosecution alleged that Oduah and Odita conspired in January 2014 to obtain a total of N2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd under alleged fraudulent claims.
They were alleged to have “agreed amongst themselves to obtain a sum of two billion, four hundred and sixty-nine million, thirty thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight naira, nine kobo (N2,469,030,738.90) by false pretence. Pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’ and ‘Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,’ ” which representation they knew to be false.
This, according to the AGF, violated Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Both defendants were alleged to have, on January 13, 2014, “obtained the sum of eight hundred and thirty-nine million, seven hundred and eighty thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight naira, nine kobo (N839,780,738.90) by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’.”
The prosecution further alleged that on February 12, 2014, the defendants obtained N1,629,250,000 from the Ministry of Aviation through Global Offshore Marine Ltd, claiming it was for “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,” a representation that was false.
The prosecution accused Oduah, while serving as minister, of dishonestly misappropriating the same sums earmarked for a contract awarded to 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd.
She was alleged to have “dishonestly misappropriated the sum by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which act is a breach of your official trust,” contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.