THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja Zonal Directorate, has arraigned the Commandant of the Nigeria Peace Corps, Dickson Akon, and the Corps’ Director of Finance, Omolola Aminat Ahmed, over alleged criminal misappropriation of N60 million belonging to the organisation.
The commission revealed this in a statement on Friday, December 12. It said Akon and Ahmed appeared before Justice H.B. Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, December 11, where they faced a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and dishonestly converting public funds for personal use.
“Charge one reads: “That you, Dickson Akon and Omolola Aminat Ahmed in the year 2024 at Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did agree among yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit criminal misappropriation and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 96 of the penal code laws of the FCT.”
“Count two read: “That you, Dickson Akon and Omolola Aminat Ahmed in the year 2024 at Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did agree among yourselves and dishonestly converted to your personal use the sum of N46,000,000,00, (forty six million naira only) out of the sum of N60.000.000.00, (sixty million naira, only) meant for the execution of contract for the supply of badges,” the statement read.
The EFCC said the defendants allegedly conspired in 2024 to misappropriate funds allocated for the execution of a contract for the supply of official badges and accused the Peace Corps officials of dishonestly converting N46 million out of the N60 million approved for the procurement project.
According to the agency, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, and following their pleas, prosecuting counsel Khalid Sanusi requested a date for the commencement of trial.
“Justice Yusuf adjourned the matter till February 25, 2026, and granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦5 million (five million naira only) with one surety each in like sum. The sureties must be of a reputable character and must be resident in Abuja,” it added.
The ICIR reports that this case marks yet another high-profile inquiry into alleged financial misconduct among leaders in Nigeria. The EFCC had reportedly seized the international passport of former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, following his ongoing investigation.
Malami, a senior advocate, who was released around 1am on November 28, after hours of interrogation, was placed under a one-month restriction that compels him to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day, to prevent any interruption in his probe.
The agency noted that Malami had significant questions to answer over how alleged $490 million loot of the late Head of State Sani Abacha was managed under his watch.
Similarly, Fred Chukwuelobe, the media aide to former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, confirmed that the former Anambra State Governor was detained by the EFCC, making him the second minister in the late President Muhammadu Buhari administration to face interrogation by the anti-graft agency in recent weeks.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.