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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Edetanle Okhiria, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged fraud involving $385,000 and N165,438,000.
Okhiria was arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and unlawful enrichment by a public officer.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant committed the offences between 2016 and 2025 while serving as the Managing Director of the NRC.
According to the commission, Okhiria allegedly abused his office by violating provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, in the award of contracts, purportedly to obtain undue advantage for himself.
The prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammad (SAN), told the court that between May 29 and September 11, 2024, the defendant allegedly transferred a cumulative sum of $205,000 from his domiciliary account in Access Bank Plc to an account belonging to Ehimen Okhiria, domiciled in ABN AMRO Bank, Netherlands.
Muhammad further alleged that between October 21 and November 21, 2024, the defendant transferred another $40,000 from his Access Bank account to the same foreign account.
The court also heard that between January 2 and February 20, 2025, after leaving office, Okhiria allegedly transferred an additional $60,000 from his Access Bank account to the said ABN AMRO Bank account, which the EFCC claimed were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The defendant was further accused of unlawfully enriching himself with $40,000 allegedly received from Emma Ogbogu & Associates’ FCMB account through his personal Access Bank account on April 7, 2025, in relation to the lease of NRC properties located at Plots 2 and 5, Federal Road, Ebute Meta, Lagos.
The commission also alleged that between April 8 and May 14, 2025, Okhiria received N125,438,000 from accounts belonging to James Iria and Kelvin Iria domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc, through his personal Access Bank account, in connection with contracts awarded to Big Screen Network Limited during his tenure.
In addition, the EFCC alleged that on or about June 11, 2025, after leaving office, the defendant received $80,000 from a domiciliary account belonging to Vincent Obi in Access Bank, in relation to the lease of an NRC property at No. 42, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Ebute Meta, Lagos, to Remax Realtors Limited.
The prosecution said the alleged offences contravene Sections 332(1) and (3), 73(1) and 82(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand him in a correctional facility pending trial.
However, defence counsel, Adebowale Kamoru, informed the court that he had just been served with the charges and sought a short adjournment to enable him to file a bail application.
Justice Oshodi ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
The matter was adjourned to May 13, 14 and 15, 2026, for trial.
