Alleged N3b Fraud: EFCC Cautioned me Before I Wrote my Statements – Ex-Head of Service, Oyo-Ita

Oyo-Ita

By JUMOKE SANNI

The first defence witness, DW1, Winifred Oyo-Ita, former Head of Service of the Federation, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, while testifying in the trial-within-trial involving her, admitted before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, that she was cautioned by investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC before writing her statements in the Commission’s office.

Oyo-Ita is standing trial alongside her special assistants Garba Umar (4th defendant), Ugbong Okon Effiok (7th defendant) and six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments. They are facing an 18-count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over ₦3 billion.

The defendant midstream into her trial, swung round and claimed that her statements were obtained under duress in the Commission, prompting the trial-within-trial to determine their admissibility.

At Thursday’s proceedings, Oyo-Ita, while being cross-examined by prosecution counsel, H. M Mohammed confirmed that the “words of caution” was read to her which she signed before taking her statements.

According to her statement of August 10, 2019, “I Winifred Oyo-Ita having been duly cautioned in English Language that I am not obliged to say anything unless I wish to do so but what I say shall be taken down in writing and may be given as evidence. I have been reminded of my right to have a counsel present but I chose to continue without counsel.”

Even with this, she claimed in court that though she wrote out of her free will, she was forced to sign her statements. She pleaded with the court to reject the three different statements she wrote, claiming that they were not written voluntarily.