The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three senior officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, over alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to over ₦2.04 billion.
The defendants are Felix Njoku, a former Director of Finance of the NRC; Benjamin Chinwuba Iloanusi, a serving Director in the Procurement Department; and Oche Jerry Ogbole-Inalegwu, Director of Mechanical.
They were arraigned on Wednesday, on separate charges bordering on abuse of office, corruption, unlawful enrichment, and money laundering.
Njoku was docked before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on a 17-count charge involving an alleged ₦736.3 million fraud. The EFCC alleged that after leaving office as Director of Finance, Njoku received ₦240.94 million from NRC contractors through the bank account of FC Njoku and Company, linked to contracts awarded during his tenure.
Iloanusi was arraigned before Justice Ismail Ijelu on a 10-count charge involving an alleged ₦915.26 million fraud. According to the prosecution, he allegedly received ₦160.93 million from NRC contractors through bank accounts domiciled in Polaris Bank Plc between January and December 2022, while serving as Director of Procurement.
Ogbole-Inalegwu was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on a nine-count charge involving an alleged ₦395.19 million fraud. He was accused of receiving ₦11.39 million from China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), an NRC contractor, through the account of Altech Engineering Services during his tenure as Railway District Manager.
The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammad, SAN, urged the courts to remand the defendants pending trial, while the defence counsel sought to allow them continue on administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC.
Justice Abike-Fadipe granted Njoku temporary release on health grounds, ordering him to deposit his international passport with the court and report to the EFCC twice weekly. His case was adjourned to March 10, 2026, for hearing of his bail application, with trial fixed for May 11, 12, 18, and 19, 2026.
Justice Ijelu remanded Iloanusi in a correctional facility and adjourned his case to March 3, 2026, for bail hearing and commencement of trial. Justice Dada allowed Ogbole-Inalegwu to continue on administrative bail and adjourned his case to April 23, 2026.