Alleged ₦3bn Fraud: EFCC Cautioned Me Before I Gave Statements — Oyo-Ita

Former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, told the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cautioned her before she wrote her statements at the Commission’s office.

Oyo-Ita, the first defence witness (DW1), made the disclosure while testifying before Justice James Omotosho in the trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of her statements. She is standing trial alongside two former aides and six companies over an 18-count charge bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering and diversion of over ₦3 billion.

During cross-examination by prosecution counsel, H. M. Mohammed, Oyo-Ita confirmed that the “words of caution” were read to her and that she signed the cautionary form before making her statements.

In one of her statements dated August 10, 2019, she acknowledged that she had been informed of her right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present but chose to proceed without counsel.

Despite this, Oyo-Ita told the court that although she wrote the statements willingly, she was forced to sign them, urging the court to reject the three statements on the grounds that they were not voluntary.

She also stated that Professor Tahir Mamman, former Vice Chancellor of Baze University and her surety, witnessed her writing another statement on September 15, 2019.

At the previous sitting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, the prosecution played a video recording of Oyo-Ita’s statement-taking process in court. In the footage, Oyo-Ita appeared calm while writing, as EFCC investigator Hamma Adama Bello testified that she was duly cautioned and informed of her right to have a lawyer present. The video was admitted in evidence without objection.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to March 4, 2026, for adoption of written addresses in the trial-within-trial.