N868m Fraud: Ex-Acting AGF Nwabuoku Jailed 72 Years As Court Upholds EFCC Case

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to a cumulative 72 years imprisonment for money laundering involving N868.4 million.

Delivering judgment on Monday, the presiding judge, James Omotosho, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proved the charges against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

Nwabuoku was arraigned on a nine-count amended charge bordering on money laundering and fraud. He had earlier been granted bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.

According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, the EFCC accused him of conspiring with several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to convert funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The offences, the commission said, contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), which prescribes penalties for such crimes.

The anti-graft agency further stated that Nwabuoku committed the offences while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.

His no-case submission was dismissed by the court in November 2025, paving the way for the final judgment.

Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud.

He was, however, removed from office in July 2022, barely weeks after his appointment, amid reports of an ongoing EFCC investigation.