EFCC Faces Backlash Over Plea Bargain with Ex-Adamawa Governor Nyako in N29 Billion Fraud Case
There is mounting public outrage in Adamawa State following reports of a plea bargain agreement between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and former Governor Murtala Nyako in a protracted N29 billion corruption trial.
The case, ongoing for over a decade, recently saw developments at the Federal High Court in Abuja that have triggered accusations of selective justice and ethnic bias, particularly among minority groups who perceive the anti-graft agency as applying double standards based on ethnicity and political clout.
At the court session on Friday, July 11, 2025, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed Justice Peter Lifu that discussions between both parties were progressing toward an out-of-court settlement.
“If granted a week’s adjournment, we should be able to finalize this,” Jacobs told the court, which subsequently adjourned the matter to July 18 for a formal settlement report.
Nyako’s lead counsel, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, confirmed the advanced stage of talks and expressed hope for an amicable resolution.
Nyako faces a 37-count charge involving criminal conspiracy, theft, and money laundering alongside his son, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, and several family-linked companies including Sebore Farms and Pagado Fortunes Ltd.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 permits plea bargaining to expedite trials and recover stolen assets, allowing defendants to plead guilty in exchange for reduced sentences or restitution. However, critics argue that EFCC has exploited this provision to favour influential individuals, eroding public confidence in the judiciary.
Legal analyst Jaleel Musa from Yola stated, “Plea bargaining is not meant to legitimize corruption. It’s unjust if offenders escape punishment by refunding only a small fraction of their loot.”
The case has rekindled memories of harsher punishments meted out to other former governors, particularly from minority ethnic groups. Public commentator Jonathan Kauna from Plateau pointed to the convictions of Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, both imprisoned for corruption.
“In contrast,” Kauna noted, “prominent defendants such as Danjuma Goje and ex-governors from Jigawa, all of Hausa-Fulani descent, had charges dropped or withdrawn quietly.”
Such disparities fuel perceptions of ethno-political injustice, where elites from majority groups receive leniency while others face full prosecution.
Concerns have also been raised about Nyako’s political influence and his wife, Justice Binta Nyako, who serves on the Federal High Court bench, heightening fears of potential judicial interference.
Civil society advocate Zainab Lawan stressed, “This case tests Nigeria’s judicial independence. Justice must be done and seen to be done, without fear or favour.”
With the next court date set for July 18, activists and legal observers are calling on the EFCC to disclose the plea bargain terms to promote transparency and accountability.
While plea bargaining remains a valid legal mechanism, critics insist it should never become a loophole for impunity.
“Justice must punish and deter,” Kauna concluded. “Otherwise, the anti-corruption fight risks becoming a selective performance.”
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