A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to a combined 72 years in prison over an N868.4 million fraud case.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had successfully proven its case against the former top government official.
Nwabuoku was arraigned on a nine-count amended charge bordering on money laundering and fraud involving N868.4 million.
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 anti-graft agency stated that the offences contravene Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and are punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The commission further revealed that Nwabuoku committed the offences while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
His attempt to halt the trial through a no-case submission was dismissed by the court in November 2025, paving the way for the final judgment.
Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General of the Federation on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud.
However, he was removed from office in July 2022, just weeks after his appointment, amid reports that he was under investigation by the EFCC.
With this ruling, the court has delivered one of the stiffest sentences in recent high-profile corruption cases in Nigeria.
