The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, on Wednesday, February 24, 2026, arraigned a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria Edetanle, before Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, over alleged money laundering involving $385,000 and ₦165,438,000.
Edetanle was arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi on a seven-count charge bordering on abuse of office, money laundering, and unlawful enrichment.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences contravene Sections 332(1) and 332(3), Section 73(1), and Section 82(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
One of the charges alleged that Edetanle, while serving as Managing Director of the NRC between May 29 and September 11, 2024, laundered $205,000 by transferring funds from his domiciliary account with Access Bank Plc to an account belonging to Ehimen Richard Okhiria domiciled with ABN AMRO Bank, Netherlands. The funds were alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Another count alleged that after leaving office, between October 21 and November 21, 2024, Edetanle transferred $40,000 from the same Access Bank account to the ABN AMRO Bank account, also described as proceeds of unlawful activities.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammad, SAN, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending trial.
However, defence counsel, Adebowale Kamoru, informed the court that he had just been served with the charges and sought a short adjournment to enable him file a bail application.
After hearing both parties, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to May 13, 14, and 15, 2026, for commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a maximum correctional facility pending the determination of his bail application.
