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A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has discharged former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah from ₦2.5 billion fraud charges following a settlement agreement with the Federal Government. The court struck out the case after prosecutors confirmed that the government had recovered the funds linked to the allegations, leading to the withdrawal of charges against Oduah and her co-defendant. 
The prosecution, represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, informed the court that the defendants had refunded the value of the alleged proceeds of crime as part of a plea bargain arrangement. Justice Hamza Muazu subsequently ruled that the charges be struck out, formally discharging both defendants, marking the conclusion of a case that had been ongoing since their arraignment in December 2025. 
However, the court convicted two companies linked to the case—Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited—and ordered them to make restitution payments, including over ₦1.2 billion, alongside the forfeiture of about ₦780 million recovered during investigations. Analysts say the outcome highlights the increasing use of plea bargaining in Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, where recovery of public funds is prioritised even as criminal liability is shifted toward corporate entities.
