EFCC arraigns ex-NRC MD over alleged $385,000, N165m fraud

The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee on Tuesday arraigned a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Company, Fidet Edetanle Okhiria, earlier than the Lagos State Particular Offences Court docket sitting in Ikeja over an alleged fraud involving $385,000 and N165,438,000.

Okhiria was arraigned earlier than Justice Rahman Oshodi on a seven-count cost bordering on cash laundering, abuse of workplace and illegal enrichment by a public officer.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant dedicated the offences between 2016 and 2025 whereas serving because the Managing Director of the NRC.

In response to the fee, Okhiria allegedly abused his workplace by violating provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, within the award of contracts, purportedly to acquire undue benefit for himself.

The prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammad (SAN), instructed the courtroom that between Might 29 and September 11, 2024, the defendant allegedly transferred a cumulative sum of $205,000 from his domiciliary account in Access Bank Plc to an account belonging to Ehimen Okhiria, domiciled in ABN AMRO Financial institution, Netherlands.

Muhammad additional alleged that between October 21 and November 21, 2024, the defendant transferred one other $40,000 from his Access Bank account to the identical international account.

The courtroom additionally heard that between January 2 and February 20, 2025, after leaving workplace, Okhiria allegedly transferred a further $60,000 from his Access Bank account to the mentioned ABN AMRO Checking account, which the EFCC claimed had been proceeds of illegal actions.

The defendant was additional accused of unlawfully enriching himself with $40,000 allegedly acquired from Emma Ogbogu & Associates’ FCMB account by way of his private Access Bank account on April 7, 2025, in relation to the lease of NRC properties positioned at Plots 2 and 5, Federal Highway, Ebute Meta, Lagos.

The fee additionally alleged that between April 8 and Might 14, 2025, Okhiria acquired N125,438,000 from accounts belonging to James Iria and Kelvin Iria domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc, by way of his private Access Bank account, in reference to contracts awarded to Huge Display screen Community Restricted throughout his tenure.

As well as, the EFCC alleged that on or about June 11, 2025, after leaving workplace, the defendant acquired $80,000 from a domiciliary account belonging to Vincent Obi in Access Bank, in relation to the lease of an NRC property at No. 42, Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, Ebute Meta, Lagos, to Remax Realtors Restricted.

The prosecution mentioned the alleged offences contravene Sections 332(1) and (3), 73(1) and 82(c) of the Prison Regulation of Lagos State, 2011.

Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not responsible to all the costs.

Following his plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the courtroom to remand him in a correctional facility pending trial.

Nevertheless, defence counsel, Adebowale Kamoru, knowledgeable the courtroom that he had simply been served with the costs and sought a brief adjournment to allow him to file a bail software.

Justice Oshodi ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending the listening to and willpower of his bail software.

The matter was adjourned to Might 13, 14 and 15, 2026, for trial.