“Your Sins Are Forgiven”: Tinubu Govt Moves to Bury Fayose’s ₦2.2 Billion Money Laundering Case Despite Mountain of Evidence – Report

Fresh concerns are emerging over the alleged attempt by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to quietly shut down the ₦2.2 billion money laundering case against former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose. Despite what has been described by insiders as a mountain of documentary and witness evidence, multiple sources familiar with the case say there is an orchestrated plot to let the matter die a silent death in court.

Fayose, who governed Ekiti from 2014 to 2018, is currently standing trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos on 11 counts of money laundering in case number FHC/L/353C/2018, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges centre on the allegation that Fayose received ₦2.2 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) under Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) during the 2014 Ekiti governorship election, and laundered the funds for personal enrichment.

Sources who spoke to *SaharaReporters* say there is a deliberate effort from within the Tinubu-led government to frustrate the prosecution’s efforts so that the court will be left with no option but to dismiss the case for lack of diligent prosecution.

“There is a clear strategy to stall the process, drag out the proceedings, and in the end allow the case to collapse,” one source said. “This is not about justice. It’s about protecting political allies.”

The EFCC’s case is built on testimony and financial records showing that the ₦2.2 billion, purportedly intended for national security operations, was funneled through Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, a company allegedly controlled by then Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. The money was allegedly laundered and delivered to Fayose in cash — both in naira and U.S. dollars — via covert means involving bullion vans, bank officials, and private aircraft.

According to the EFCC, Fayose personally instructed that no transfers should be made into his or his associates’ accounts to avoid traceability. Instead, he demanded physical cash deliveries. In June 2014, Obanikoro reportedly arranged the withdrawal of ₦1.2 billion and \$5 million in Lagos and had it transported to Akure Airport in Ondo State. Fayose’s trusted aide, Abiodun Agbele, received the funds on his behalf with the assistance of Zenith Bank officials. The cash was deposited into accounts linked to Fayose and Agbele, including De-Privateer Limited and Spotless Limited.

The prosecution further alleged that the funds were used to purchase several high-value properties in Lagos and Abuja, including four chalets on Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, acquired for ₦1.3 billion in the name of J.J. Technical Limited — a company tied to Lebanese nationals who testified they were unaware of the transaction. Additional properties include a ₦200 million house on Osun Crescent in Abuja, purchased through Fayose’s sister, and another plot worth ₦270 million bought under the name of Spotless Limited.

Fayose, in his defence, has claimed that the funds were legitimate campaign contributions raised by the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, PDP officials told the court that all campaign funds were raised locally in Ekiti State and that no funds came from the NSA or federal sources.

Despite the EFCC’s presentation of over a dozen witnesses and volumes of financial evidence, Fayose’s legal team has insisted that no prima facie case has been made and has asked the court to dismiss the charges. The Federal High Court is expected to rule on July 10, 2025, on whether Fayose must enter a defence.

Meanwhile, there is mounting concern that this case may follow the path of other high-profile prosecutions that have been quietly abandoned once the political climate shifts. Critics say it reflects a pattern in which politically exposed individuals are shielded from accountability, even in the face of damning evidence.

“The signals are clear — the Tinubu administration does not want this case to go forward,” a legal insider said “It’s a message to the political elite: your sins are forgiven, as long as you’re in the right camp.”

As the court date approaches, attention will focus on whether Nigeria’s judiciary can resist external pressure and allow the legal process to run its full course — or if this will be yet another case of justice delayed, and ultimately, denied.