Tunji Wusu –
Stella Oduah was accused on eight counts by the Federal High Court in Abuja, but the Federal Government has criticized the case.
The former lawmaker, who is named as the only defendant in the lawsuit brought by the FG through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is accused of making false claims that her National Youth Service Corps certificate had been stolen among other alleged offenses.
According to court records, Ochugwu Ogbeh Esq. and Ibrahim Mohammed Esq. of the Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC in Benin, Edo state, filed the charge on June 26, 2023, before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.
One of the counts stated, “That you Senator Stella Oduah and D.A.O Oshinowo (at large) did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Make a document titled “Re: Request for National Youth Service Confirmation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3(6) of the miscellaneous offences Act CAF M17 of the revised e
“That you Senator Stella Oduah and D. A. O. Oshinowo (at large) did fabricate an incorrect document with intent to cause harm to wit: Re: Request for National Youth Service confirmation with the intent that it may be acted upon as genuine, the representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 156 of the Penal Code Act, sometime in the year 2017 at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.
“That you, Senator Stella Oduah, at some point in 2011 in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja under the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did forward your credentials to the Federal Government of Nigeria, among which is an affidavit and an extract from police crime diary, that you lost your National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate, the representation you know to be false, which led to your nomination as a Cabinet Minister and thereby committed an offense against the law,”
“That you Senator Stella Oduah did retain the total amount paid to you as salaries and allowances by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a Minister of Aviation and two-term senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at some point in the year 2018, at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that same represent proceeds of your unlawful activities, namely: obtaining by false pretense and thereby committing tax evasion,” the court’s order reads.
“That you Senator Stella Oduah sometime between the years of 2011 and 2023 at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud did obtain the total amount of salaries and allowances from Federal Government of Nigeria as Minister and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the pretense that you were qualified with your credentials, the pretense you knew or ought to have known to be false, and thereby committed offenses against the law.”
In answer to a query from a group known as the Concerned Anambra North PDP Stakeholders in May 2022, the NYSC revealed that Oduah did not finish the obligatory one-year NYSC training in a letter with the marking NYSC/DHQ/PPRU/783/Vol III.
According to the agency, Oduah started her NYSC training in 1982 but left before finishing it. She denied planning to conceal the facts with the former aviation minister.
