Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Fagbemi SAN, has denied any political undertones in the recent withdrawal of charges against some high-profile Nigerians by the federal government.
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Fagbemi particularly mentioned the cases involving the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko and the former Managing Director of the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru.
The minister spoke while answering questions from newsmen on the sidelines of the 2025 Ministry of Justice Top Management Retreat taking place at the Four Point by Sheraton hotel, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. The theme of the retreat is: ‘Repositioning for Digital Transformation’.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had pressed charges against the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko, and three others.
The EFCC had in suit No. FHC/L/20C/2025, filed 13-count charges against Otudeko, former First Bank Managing Director Olabisi Onasanya, former Honeywell board member Soji Akintayo, and Anchorage Leisure Limited.
The defendants were accused of conspiring to fraudulently obtain N12.3bn from First Bank of Nigeria under the guise of credit facilities for V-TECH Dynamic Links Ltd. and Stallion Nigeria Ltd.
The AGF stated that decisions around criminal law are based on merit and not influenced by sentiments, emotions or political considerations, adding that in criminal law there were no gaps.
On Kuru, he said, “For instance, in the case of Ahmed Kuru, what happened was that he was not connected; there was nothing to try him for. What was involved was an investment in the name of AMCON. In the sum of about, I think, 20 million.
“So both the principal and the interest were recovered by the EFCC. It was not in any individual’s name. So what offence has been committed?
“But don’t forget, there are two other cases. There was one involving, I think, about 5 billion, involving another person, whose name I cannot remember now. For that one, because we believe that there is, what I would call, a prima facie case, we said it should continue.
“There is another one against Kuru, in relation to his activities as either a manager or so in Arik Airline. That one, I also found that there are some questions to be answered. In other words, we have a prima facie case against him there, and I ordered that one should continue. So they are on it in respect of that one”.
On Otudeko, he said, “Then, coming to the issue of Oba Otudeko, which has to do with the management of First Bank. What happened was that the complainants (First Bank) came and said we are withdrawing our complaints.
“The complainants said ‘we have gotten all that we thought was lost or was taken away’. Both parties agreed. So why do you want to waste government resources again?
On the withdrawal of charges against the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Dr Nneka Onyeali Ikpe, the AGF stated, “Those allegations related to events before she became Managing Director. It would be dereliction of duty to allow any person to face criminal prosecution without probable cause and personal culpability.”
Fagbemi also dismissed the insinuation that he was under pressure from the Presidency to drop charges for friends of the current administration.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu would not weaponise prosecution, adding that cases are handled by merit and in line with the rule of law.
The AGF said, “What has the president got to do with this one? To drop charges against friends of God. It’s a criminal case. The Attorney General has been put in place. And we are doing what we feel and believe should be the appropriate step.
“Let me use this opportunity to remind us all that the question of prosecution, when you talk of rule of law, it does not admit of weaponising prosecution.
“You do or treat each case on its own merit. And you do not get the courts involved in, or turn the courts into what I would call theatres of spectacle.
“You take each case on its own merit. If a case is not made out, it is just not made out. There are no two ways about it. You don’t have to dissipate government energy resources and waste the time of the court”.
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