Alleged N4bn Fraud: EFCC Insists Obiano’s Trial Should Continue Before Justice Ekwo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to allow the ongoing trial of former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, to continue before Justice Inyang Ekwo, instead of restarting afresh before a new judge.

The request was disclosed in a statement shared by the anti-graft agency on its X handle on Tuesday.

Obiano is standing trial on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged embezzlement and money laundering involving N4 billion said to belong to Anambra State.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the matter came up before Justice M. G. Umar. EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, represented in court by two other lawyers, told the court that the Commission preferred to await Justice Ekwo’s return, noting that substantial progress had already been made before him.

According to the EFCC, the prosecution had called nine witnesses, all of whom had testified before Justice Ekwo before his temporary absence from the court. Tahir said the Commission had “one or more witnesses left” before it could close its case.

With nearly the entire prosecution process completed, the EFCC argued that beginning the trial denovo (from scratch) before another judge would amount to a setback and unnecessary duplication of effort.

Following the position of the prosecution, Justice Umar granted the request and adjourned the matter indefinitely pending the resumption of Justice Ekwo.

Obiano, who served as governor of Anambra State between 2014 and 2022, has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
The EFCC, however, maintains that the funds in question were diverted through suspicious transactions during his tenure.