ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Lagos-based businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Achimugu, has pushed back against reports that $13 million was recovered from her residence, describing the claim as false and misleading.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television, Achimugu addressed allegations surrounding a raid conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), insisting the widely circulated figure was inaccurate.
“Let me also correct an impression that 13 million dollars was not found in my house when my house was raided. And let me also correct that what is published on the website of EFCC is a certain state. I want to believe that it is not Lagos state because the state was not clear.
“So, it’s what is out there. So I won’t also entertain that it’s a Lagos state because that hasn’t been thrown at me. My house was raided, yes, but only $50,000 and 13 million naira belonging to my mom was found in my house and then again, my personal belongings. I don’t know where Nigerians got the impression that I had 13 million dollars in my house. I’m not a bank, so I won’t keep 13 million dollars in my house,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer of Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd declined to speak extensively on the matter, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
Explaining the presence of foreign currency, Achimugu said the funds were kept for practical reasons, particularly to cater for emergencies involving her children who study abroad.
“It is important to have some foreign currency available for emergencies,” she said.
READ ALSO:EFCC Declares Businesswoman Aisha Achimugu Wanted Over Money Laundering Allegations
She also maintained that her wealth was derived from legitimate business ventures, noting that her company successfully participated in oil block bidding rounds between 2022 and 2024 through what she described as a transparent process.
The businesswoman, who drew public attention in 2024 after hosting a lavish seven-day birthday celebration in Grenada attended by high-profile figures including Babajide Sanwo-Olu, dismissed suggestions that the event reflected undue political connections.
According to her, the celebration had been planned for a decade and was not funded with any money under investigation.
She also addressed concerns over her response to an EFCC invitation, explaining that she was outside the country at the time and had communicated through her lawyer.
Her brief return to Nigeria before travelling again, she said, may have been misinterpreted as an attempt to evade authorities.
Despite her defence, the case has already seen significant legal developments.
In March, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to Achimugu and her company to the Federal Government.
The court held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had established that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities, rejecting claims that they came from legitimate sources due to lack of sufficient evidence.
The anti-graft agency had alleged that the money was routed through suspicious channels and tied to payments for oil block licences claims Achimugu and her firm continue to deny.
Amid the controversy, Achimugu insisted she has “no regrets,” maintaining that her actions remain within legal and ethical boundaries.
She also dismissed allegations of campaign financing and described the sequence of events including fund transfers, her being declared wanted, and the raid on her residence as coincidental.
With legal proceedings still ongoing, the dispute between the businesswoman and the EFCC appears far from settled, as both sides hold firmly to their positions.