The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has “arraigned two suspects before a federal high court in Abuja over alleged money laundering and vote-buying involving N26 million.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, confirmed that Esther Dawaki and Shehu Aliyu Fatange appeared before Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge.
They face a “five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and accepting cash payments above the threshold permitted by law.”
Oyewale said the suspects were arrested in Kaduna on August 16, 2025, with “N26,463,000, suspected to be earmarked for vote buying during the Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency by-election.” The money was reportedly “discovered inside a Toyota Corolla belonging to Fatange, parked within a hotel premises in Kaduna.”
Fatange allegedly identified himself as the director-general (DG) of the campaign office for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the by-election.
One of the charges against them reads: “That you, Esther Ashivilli Dawaki (F), and others, now at large, on or about the 16th of August 2025, at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure one Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) to commit an offence to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of N26,000,000.00… without going through a financial institution.”
Both defendants entered a plea of “not guilty.”
M. O. Arumemi, the EFCC’s counsel, requested a trial date and asked for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional facility. However, the defence counsels, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, opposed this, asking instead that the suspects remain in EFCC custody until their bail applications are heard.
The judge ordered that Dawaki be remanded at the Suleja correctional centre, while Fatange be kept at the Kuje correctional centre. The case was adjourned to September 15 for a hearing on the bail applications.