The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted and sentenced the former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to 72 years imprisonment without an option of fine for money laundering involving N868.46 million in public funds allegedly diverted while he served as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence.
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Justice James Omotosho, delivering judgment on Monday, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had proved all nine counts of the money laundering charge beyond reasonable doubt, convicting Nwabuoku on each count and sentencing him to eight years imprisonment per count — totalling 72 years.
However, the judge ordered that the sentences on all nine counts shall run concurrently, meaning the effective prison term Nwabuoku will serve is eight years rather than the cumulative 72.
Justice Omotosho described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence as “appalling.”
The judge commended the EFCC for being detailed in its prosecution, signalling satisfaction with the quality of evidence and the thoroughness of the anti-graft agency’s case.
In a significant observation, Justice Omotosho noted that evidence from the 9th prosecution witness established that Nwabuoku had voluntarily refunded part of the siphoned money — over N200 million — during the investigation. The court found that this evidence was not controverted by the defence, effectively serving as an admission of guilt and strengthening the prosecution’s case.
Nwabuoku was listed as the sole defendant in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, filed by the EFCC. He was prosecuted on an amended nine-count charge bordering on money laundering and diversion of funds.
The offences were alleged to have occurred between 2019 and 2021, while Nwabuoku held the position of Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence — before his subsequent elevation to Acting Accountant-General of the Federation.
The EFCC alleged that Nwabuoku conspired with four private companies — Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited — to convert proceeds believed to be from unlawful activities totalling over N868 million. The funds were allegedly diverted and concealed through multiple transactions involving these companies.
Nwabuoku was arraigned on January 15, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to all nine counts. He was admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
During the trial, Nwabuoku opened his defence in February 2026. Under cross-examination, he admitted to authorising fund transfers to private firms for what he described as “classified purposes” — a characterisation he had reportedly used in earlier statements to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Despite this admission, Nwabuoku sought acquittal, describing his 35-year career in public service as unblemished and arguing that the transactions were conducted within the scope of his official duties.
The revelation that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded over N200 million during the investigation proved particularly damaging to his defence. The testimony of the 9th prosecution witness on this point went unchallenged by the defence team, and the court treated the uncontroverted evidence as established fact.
The voluntary refund, while perhaps intended by Nwabuoku to demonstrate good faith or mitigate his culpability, was treated by the court as evidence that corroborated the prosecution’s case that public funds had been diverted, since there would have been no reason to refund money that was legitimately disbursed.
While the headline figure of 72 years is dramatic, the practical effect of Justice Omotosho’s order that all sentences run concurrently is that Nwabuoku will serve eight years in prison — the length of the sentence on each individual count.
Under Nigerian criminal law, when sentences are ordered to run concurrently, the convicted person serves only the longest single sentence rather than the sum of all sentences. Since all nine counts carried identical eight-year terms, the effective sentence is eight years.
The conviction marks the second successive occupant of the office of Accountant-General of the Federation to face criminal prosecution in recent years. Nwabuoku’s predecessor, Ahmed Idris, who held the substantive position, was suspended in May 2022 and subsequently charged by the EFCC with money laundering offences involving billions of naira.
Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General following Idris’s suspension but was himself removed from office amid the corruption allegations that led to his prosecution.
The back-to-back prosecution and conviction of two holders of one of the most sensitive financial positions in the Nigerian government has raised fundamental questions about oversight mechanisms, internal controls, and the integrity of public financial management at the highest levels.
The case highlights the particular vulnerability of defence spending to corruption. The Ministry of Defence handles some of the largest financial allocations in the federal budget, and the sensitivity of defence expenditure — often shielded from normal public scrutiny under security classification — has long been identified as a weak point in Nigeria’s public financial management system.
Nwabuoku’s use of the phrase “classified purposes” to justify transfers to private companies underscores the tension between legitimate security classification and financial accountability — a gap that the court found was exploited to facilitate the diversion of public funds at a time when Nigeria’s security forces were engaged in active combat operations against insurgents and armed groups.
Justice Omotosho’s description of the diversion of defence funds as “appalling” reflects the gravity with which the court viewed the misappropriation of money earmarked for the security and defence of the nation.
The EFCC described the conviction as a significant step in its efforts to ensure accountability and deter financial crimes in the public sector.
“The former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, who was prosecuted by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for money laundering involving N868.46 million has been convicted and sentenced to jail for 72 years,” the EFCC stated on its official X handle.
It is not yet known whether Nwabuoku intends to appeal the conviction and sentence. Under Nigerian law, he has the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal within 90 days of the judgment.
The question of whether the N200 million voluntarily refunded during the investigation will be offset against the total sum involved, or whether the EFCC will pursue recovery of the full N868.46 million through separate forfeiture proceedings, also remains to be clarified.
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