Nigerian businesswoman Aisha Achimugu has raised an alarm over what she described as a sustained campaign of persecution, intimidation and media trial, claiming the situation has threatened her safety, damaged her businesses and exposed her family to risk.
Achimugu made the disclosure in a lengthy statement addressed to Nigerian and international media outlets, in which she appealed for protection for herself, her children, her investments and her companies.
She also called for respect for court orders and an end to what she described as a misleading media campaign against her.
The entrepreneur accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, under its current leadership, of taking actions she said violated her constitutional rights and caused significant damage to decades of business investments.
According to her, the alleged actions have affected not only her operations in Nigeria but also her international business relationships, financial interests and immigration status.
Achimugu said she remained silent for almost two years out of restraint and concern for national interest, despite what she described as repeated attacks on her reputation.
She traced the beginning of the dispute to the freezing of her personal and corporate bank accounts over allegations linking her to MBA Forex and Capital Investment, insisting that neither she nor her companies had any ownership stake in the firm.
She said she honoured the EFCC’s invitations alongside her legal representatives and later refunded N58 million connected to a transaction carried out on behalf of MBA Forex, adding that she was informed the matter had been resolved.
Achimugu alleged that despite continued communication with the anti-graft agency, she was later declared wanted, her residence was searched, and valuables including jewellery, safes and cash were removed.
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She further alleged that the EFCC repeatedly froze her accounts, obtained forfeiture orders against her assets, seized her vehicles and continued legal proceedings against her while several cases remained before the courts.
According to her, the developments have led to the loss of international banking relationships, cancelled investment opportunities and reputational damage to her businesses in Nigeria and abroad.
Achimugu said she had invested nearly $90 million in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector over the past five years and attracted more than $100 million in investments into the country.
She added that her businesses currently employ close to 200 Nigerians and that she has supported humanitarian initiatives through the Sam Empowerment Foundation.
The businesswoman also claimed that information circulated about her resulted in the revocation of her United States visa and affected her ability to travel with her Grenadian passport.
She appealed to the National Assembly, the judiciary, security agencies, human rights organizations and Nigeria’s development partners to intervene, arguing that investors should not be subjected to asset seizures and public condemnation without due process.
Achimugu maintained that she remains committed to Nigeria and expressed confidence in the country’s judicial system, while stating that she is ready to face any lawful investigation conducted in line with constitutional provisions.
In an emotional conclusion to her statement, she said: “My very existence and life are in danger. My private life and privacy invaded. The innocence and safety of my children are under threat.”
She also said her security, reputation, businesses, investments, and immigration rights were being threatened, adding that her life was in danger.
