EFCC Arraigns Former NRC MD Over $385,000, ₦165m Fraud Charges
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria Edetanle, over alleged fraud involving $385,000 and ₦165,438,000. The case was filed before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Edetanle was brought before the court on February 24, 2026, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC, Ikoyi. He is facing a seven-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, money laundering, and unlawful enrichment.
The anti-graft agency said the alleged offences were committed while he served as Managing Director of the NRC and shortly after leaving office.
According to the charges, between May 29 and September 11, 2024, Edetanle allegedly transferred $205,000 from his domiciliary account with Access Bank to an account belonging to Ehimen Richard Okhiria at ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands. Prosecutors claim the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC also alleged that after leaving office, between October 21 and November 21, 2024, he transferred an additional $40,000 from the same Access Bank account to the same overseas account.
The commission stated that the transactions violated provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, including sections relating to money laundering and abuse of office.
When the charges were read in court, Edetanle pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel Abba Muhammad (SAN) asked the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in custody pending the hearing.
Defence counsel Adebowale Kamoru told the court that he had only just received the charge and asked for a short adjournment to file a bail application.
After listening to both sides, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to May 13, 14, and 15, 2026, for trial.
The court also ordered that Edetanle be remanded in a maximum correctional facility pending the determination of his bail application.
The case marks another high-profile prosecution involving a former top government official as the EFCC continues its anti-corruption drive.