“One Law For The Rich, Another For The Poor” — 10 Years, 3 Judges, Endless Adjournments In Fmr Gov. Nyako’s ₦29bn Corruption Trial

For 10 years, former Adamawa State Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), has been standing trial over allegations of laundering ₦29 billion belonging to the state. Yet, after a decade, the case has neither produced a conviction nor an acquittal.

Charged alongside his son, Abdulaziz Nyako, a former senator, and several companies, Nyako is facing one of Nigeria’s longest-running and most complex corruption cases. The defendants, now weary of the judicial marathon, are seeking an “amicable settlement” even after the Court of Appeal ruled that they have a case to answer.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) first arraigned Nyako, his son, and five companies — Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited, and Crust Energy Limited — in 2015.

They were accused of diverting ₦29 billion from Adamawa State’s coffers through a web of companies and accounts linked to the former governor during his tenure between 2007 and 2014.

The EFCC alleged that funds meant for security and development were siphoned into private and corporate accounts, violating money laundering and public trust laws.

Since its filing, the case has passed through three judges. The first, Justice Evoh Chukwu, handled it between August 2015 and June 2016 before his sudden death after hearing eight witnesses.

The second, Justice Okon Abang, restarted the case and heard from 21 witnesses — including bank officials from GTBank, Ecobank, and Diamond Bank — and reviewed hundreds of financial documents.

After the EFCC closed its case, the defendants filed a no-case submission, asking the court to dismiss the charges. Justice Abang rejected the request, ruling that the defendants had questions to answer.

In January 2022, a panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Olabisi Ige affirmed Abang’s decision, directing Nyako and his co-defendants to enter their defence.

But the defendants delayed, seeking adjournments and claiming to be in talks for an “out-of-court settlement.” The trial was still stalled when Justice Abang was elevated to the Court of Appeal in September 2023, forcing the case to start over again under Justice Peter Lifu.

In March 2024, the EFCC re-arraigned Nyako and his co-defendants before Justice Lifu. However, the prosecution has yet to restart evidence presentation, as defence lawyers informed the court that discussions were ongoing with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for an “amicable settlement.”

Nyako’s counsel, Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, argued that the talks were not an admission of guilt, but an effort to end a case that had dragged on for too long.

“Plea bargain creates the impression of guilt,” he said. “The admiral is 81 years old; he is a contemporary of General Ibrahim Babangida and cannot continue to face this ordeal.”

Critics say Nyako’s “amicable settlement” request exposes the double standards in Nigeria’s justice system.

“There’s one law for the rich and another for the poor,” said lawyer Emmanuel Ameh, who described the case as “a symbol of gross inequality in the justice system.”

Legal experts argue that such settlements — common in civil disputes — are not recognised in criminal prosecutions, especially for serious crimes like money laundering or corruption.

Monday Ubani, SAN, said: “Out-of-court settlements are for private disputes. You cannot apply that to criminal matters involving public funds. If that happens, it’s not justice; it’s privilege.”

Nyako’s case is not isolated. Several politically connected Nigerians have seen their corruption trials withdrawn or stalled under various administrations.

Recently, the Tinubu government withdrew a ₦20 billion fraud case against former AMCON boss, Ahmed Kuru, and stopped EFCC’s planned arraignment of Honeywell Group Chairman, Oba Otudeko, in a ₦12.3 billion case.

In the past, similar leniency extended to former governors Joshua Dariye, Jolly Nyame, and Orji Uzor Kalu, all of whom either received pardons or had convictions overturned after years of litigation.

Former AGF Abubakar Malami confirmed in his memoir that corruption charges against ex-Gombe governor Mohammed Goje were dropped to clear the path for Ahmad Lawan’s emergence as Senate President in 2019.

Section 174 of the Nigerian Constitution empowers the AGF to withdraw charges “in the public interest,” but lawyers argue that the clause is routinely abused for political convenience.

Ubani warned: “The so-called settlements in Nigeria are not about public interest but political favour.”

Opara added that discontinuing corruption trials “signals that crime is negotiable for the rich” and undermines trust in institutions like the EFCC and ICPC.

Experts say such practices waste public funds and judicial resources while reinforcing impunity among the elite.

After three judges, multiple witnesses, and countless adjournments, the ₦29 billion corruption case against Murtala Nyako remains unresolved.

With new settlement talks underway, the trial’s future is uncertain  but what remains clear is that, for many Nigerians, justice in high-profile corruption cases seems endlessly delayed, and often denied.

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