A former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, has petitioned US President Donald Trump to review a historical US financial-crime investigation involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. The petition, dated September 24, 2026, urges Trump to direct US authorities to revisit an investigation initiated by a June 22, 2006 letter from the US Attorney’s Office to Nigerian authorities. This investigation involved alleged bribery, money laundering, and other financial transactions linked to entities and individuals associated with Atiku.
The 2006 investigative request and related records, including materials generated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are to be reviewed. Agbonayinma also called for a fresh examination of the findings of the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations arising from its February 4, 2010 hearing, Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories. The subcommittee's investigation included an "Abubakar Case Study: Using Offshore Companies to Bring Suspect Funds Into the United States."
The congressional record examined millions of dollars transferred through offshore entities and US financial institutions, including transactions involving Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, American University in Washington, D.C., Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., LetsGo Ltd., Sima Holdings Ltd., and entities associated with Intels. Agbonayinma stressed that the allegations and investigative findings should not be interpreted as proof of criminal guilt.
Agbonayinma's petition emphasized that the call for review is not a declaration of guilt but a demand that authorities examine the historical investigative record to determine if any matter remains legally actionable. He asked the US authorities to examine the historical EFCC materials and determine whether any transactions identified in the congressional record remain within US jurisdiction or are legally actionable.
The petitioner urged the US Department of Justice, FBI, and other competent agencies to cooperate with Nigerian authorities on any outstanding cross-border financial-crime issues arising from the historical investigation. This cooperation should occur where legally permissible, taking into account due process, applicable statutes of limitation, evidentiary standards, and jurisdictional considerations.
Agbonayinma drew particular attention to the 2010 Senate investigation, which detailed suspect funds brought into the United States through offshore companies. The investigation's findings highlighted the need for a thorough review of the historical records to determine if any further action is required.
The outcome of the review, according to Agbonayinma, should be a determination of whether the evidence no longer supports any legal action or if matters remain within US jurisdiction and are legally actionable. If actionable matters exist, they should be addressed in accordance with American law.
Key points
- Former lawmaker seeks review of 2006 US investigation into Atiku Abubakar.
- Petition calls for examination of historical EFCC materials and US Senate investigation findings.
- Review aims to determine if any matters remain legally actionable under US law.
