Prominent businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Achimugu, has embarked on a hunger strike while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following her arrest in the early hours of Tuesday.
A statement from her legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu, revealed that Achimugu was arrested around 5:00 a.m. at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after arriving from London.
The EFCC had earlier declared her wanted in March over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
Her legal team maintains she returned to Nigeria voluntarily to honour an invitation from the anti-graft agency and in compliance with a court order.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice I.E. Ekwo, had on Monday directed Achimugu to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday, and to subsequently appear before the court on Wednesday.
According to Ojukwu, Achimugu’s arrest contradicted the understanding presented in court, as she had notified the judge of her intention to report to the EFCC on Tuesday.
“In light of the court proceedings on Monday, our client returned on the strength of an undertaking before the court to honour the EFCC’s invitation. Shockingly, she was arrested at the airport before she could do so,” Ojukwu said.
“Immediately after her arrest, she declared a hunger strike. This is a protest against what we consider an affront to the rule of law. She is now a prisoner of conscience.”
Achimugu is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Felak Concept Group, a conglomerate with interests in engineering, maritime, oil and gas, and information technology.
The case is expected to attract intense public scrutiny, especially as it involves a high-profile figure and raises questions about legal procedure and due process in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.