The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned three senior officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) before the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, over alleged fraud, corruption and money laundering amounting to more than N2.04 billion.
The defendants — Felix Njoku, Benjamin Chinwuba Iloanusi, and Oche Jerry Ogbole-Inalegwu — were docked before different judges of the Special Offences Court on separate charges bordering on abuse of office, unlawful enrichment and corruption.
Njoku, a former Director of Finance at the NRC, was arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a 17-count charge involving an alleged N736.3 million fraud.
The EFCC alleged that Njoku, trading as FC Njoku and Company, received N240.94 million from NRC contractors between January 2 and December 3, 2024, through a Zenith Bank Plc account. The funds were allegedly linked to contracts awarded during his tenure as finance director.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel Abba Muhammad (SAN) sought a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant pending trial. Defence counsel Mordecai Adejo, however, requested that Njoku be allowed to continue enjoying the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
Justice Abike-Fadipe granted him temporary release on health grounds, ordered him to deposit his international passport with the court, and directed him to report to the EFCC Lagos Directorate 1 office every Monday and Friday.
The matter was adjourned to March 10, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application, while trial dates were fixed for May 11, 12, 18 and 19, 2026.
Iloanusi was arraigned before Justice Ismail Ijelu on a 10-count charge involving an alleged N915.27 million fraud. The prosecution alleged that, while serving as Director of Procurement between January 4 and December 30, 2022, he received N160.93 million from NRC contractors through accounts domiciled in Polaris Bank Plc in connection with contracts awarded in the course of his official duties.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in a correctional centre. The case was adjourned to March 3, 2026, for the hearing of his bail application and commencement of trial.
The third defendant, Ogbole-Inalegwu, appeared before Justice Mojisola Dada on a nine-count charge involving an alleged N395.19 million fraud.
The EFCC alleged that, while serving as Railway District Manager and operating under Altech Engineering Services between February 12 and October 29, 2019, he received N11.39 million from China Civil Engineering Construction Company, an NRC contractor, through an Access Bank Plc account linked to contracts awarded during his tenure.
He also pleaded not guilty. Justice Dada allowed him to continue enjoying the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC and adjourned the case until April 23, 2026.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences contravene Sections 332(1) and 332(3), Section 73(1), and Section 82(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The prosecutions mark another high-profile corruption case involving senior officials in Nigeria’s public transport sector.
