EFCC Arraigns Works Ministry Officials Over Alleged ₦1.9 Billion Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, and a surveyor, Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, over the alleged diversion of ₦1.9 billion meant for federal road title acquisitions.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, alongside Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, a surveyor in the Department of Highways and Planning, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja.
The defendants were charged with three counts related to the alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds totaling ₦1,936,961,649.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira). The alleged offence, which contravenes Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, involves funds that were earmarked for acquiring land titles for federal roads nationwide between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020, but were allegedly converted for personal use.
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One of the charges states that Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, while serving as Deputy Director of Highways and Project Coordinator for acquiring federal road titles, and Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, a surveyor in the same ministry, allegedly used their positions between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, to confer corrupt advantages upon themselves by diverting ₦807,053,000.00 intended for federal road title acquisitions. This offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their plea, the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility. However, defense counsels J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba applied for a short adjournment to file bail applications and requested that their clients remain in EFCC custody.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case to April 3, 2025, for the bail application hearing and ordered the defendants to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre.
In a related case, the EFCC also arraigned Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan on a separate three-count charge before the same judge for allegedly diverting ₦439,502,200.00 (Four Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) in public funds for personal use.
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One of the charges states that while serving as Deputy Director of Highways and Project Coordinator, Olowoniyan, between March 27, 2019, and December 17, 2019, transferred a cumulative sum of ₦301,994,200.00 (Three Hundred and One Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four Thousand, Two Hundred Naira) to Chile Ushahemba, a staff member at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He allegedly received ₦19,140,000.00 (Nineteen Million, One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira) in cash, which he converted for personal use. This act constitutes a criminal breach of trust, which is contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.
The defendant also pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter to April 3, 2025, for the bail application hearing.
Agent Joyce Idanmuze
Manager, KREENO Fraud Publicity & Operations
March 19, 2025
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