Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Directorate, has arraigned a businesswoman, Adeyinka Nike Aderonmu, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of laundering N328,558,800 (Three Hundred and Twenty‑Eight Million, Five Hundred and Fifty‑Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira). Aderonmu was brought before Justice E. U. Akpan on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, on a three‑count charge bordering on the transfer and retention of funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all three counts when they were read to her in open court.
According to the charge sheet, Aderonmu is accused of retaining and transferring huge sums of money through her bank accounts without going through a financial institution, an act that violates the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prosecution, etc.) Act. The EFCC alleged that the funds were channeled through her accounts in a manner consistent with money laundering, making it necessary for the commission to investigate the source of the wealth. Prosecution counsel informed the court that investigations had traced the money to suspicious transactions that could not be justified by the defendant’s known legitimate income or business activities.
In his submission, the prosecuting lawyer urged the court to take the plea of the defendant and set a date for trial. He also asked the court to remand Aderonmu in a correctional facility pending the commencement of trial, arguing that she was a flight risk. However, the defence counsel moved a formal bail application, asking the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms. He noted that Aderonmu is a businesswoman of considerable standing, with ties to her community and family, and that she had cooperated with investigators throughout the process.
Justice Akpan, after hearing arguments from both sides, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum. The court ordered that the sureties must be owners of landed property within the jurisdiction and must submit their means of identification and recent passport photographs to the court registrar. The judge also ordered that the defendant deposit her international passport with the court and refrain from travelling outside the country without the express permission of the court. The case was adjourned to a date to be fixed for the commencement of trial.
The arrest and arraignment of Aderonmu are part of the EFCC’s broader crackdown on money laundering and financial crimes in Nigeria. The commission has intensified its scrutiny of high‑value transactions, particularly those involving unexplained wealth and suspicious transfer patterns. In recent years, the EFCC has recorded several convictions in money laundering cases, with courts ordering the forfeiture of properties, funds, and assets traced to illicit activities. The commission has also increased cooperation with financial institutions and international bodies to track cross‑border money movements.
The specific allegations against Aderonmu have not been fully detailed in public court filings, but EFCC sources indicate that the case involves multiple transfers and deposits that the commission believes were deliberately structured to avoid detection. The prosecution is expected to call witnesses from financial institutions to testify about the transactions in question and to present documentary evidence linking the defendant to the alleged offences. The defence is likely to argue that the funds were derived from legitimate business operations and that the EFCC has misinterpreted normal commercial transactions.
Legal analysts have noted that the case highlights the increasing use of financial intelligence to build money laundering prosecutions. The EFCC has invested heavily in forensic accounting and data analysis, enabling it to detect patterns that would have gone unnoticed a decade ago. “This case is not just about this defendant,” said a Lagos‑based financial crime lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It is about sending a signal that unexplained wealth, especially when moved in suspicious patterns, will attract the attention of the EFCC.”
The trial of Adeyinka Nike Aderonmu will be closely watched by business owners, financial professionals, and anti‑graft advocates. If convicted, she faces substantial fines and imprisonment under the Money Laundering Act. For now, she remains free on bail, but her legal battle has only just begun. The EFCC has vowed to pursue the case to its logical conclusion, and the court is expected to set a trial date in the coming weeks.
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