Court Denies Bail to Agripreneur Amina Orimoloye in N500m Fraud Case

The Federal High Court in Lagos has refused to grant bail to agripreneur, Amina Momoh-Orimoloye, who is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N500 million fraud.

Orimoloye, the Coordinator of Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth in Livestock Agriculture (EEWYLA) and founder of Oriyon International Limited, is accused of conspiring with others to divert funds from a foreign exchange deal.

According to EFCC investigators, a petitioner had engaged in a forex transaction worth about ₦1.163 billion, out of which N500 million was allegedly misappropriated.

The agripreneur, who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, has been in EFCC custody since August 5, 2025.

Through her lawyers, she approached the court under suit number FHC/L/1741/2025, seeking bail and citing violations of her constitutional rights.

She argued that she had been held without charge, that EFCC imposed excessively stringent bail conditions, and that the agency failed to verify the sureties she presented.

She also raised concerns about her health and claimed mistreatment during her detention.

The EFCC, however, opposed her application, insisting that the sureties were unreliable and warning that she was a flight risk given her ties abroad.

The anti-graft agency maintained that preliminary findings linked her directly to the fraud allegations.

In his ruling, Justice Musa Kakaki dismissed the bail application, holding that the EFCC had not violated her rights since bail had already been granted under specified conditions. He added that the failure to fulfill those conditions was the responsibility of the defendant and not the commission.

The decision means Orimoloye will remain in EFCC custody while investigations continue. The case has drawn attention within Nigeria’s agribusiness and financial sectors, with legal analysts noting that it highlights the courts’ increasing caution in handling high-profile fraud matters involving large sums and cross-border ties.