From Investigation to Conviction: The Robert Orya Case:

From Investigation to Conviction: The Robert Orya Case:

• Even though it was the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that finally prosecuted and ensured that Robert Orya, the one-time Managing Director of the Nigerian Import and Export Bank (NEXIM), was convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on 4 February 2026, the work that led to his conviction was actually initiated by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property, which I chaired from 2017 to 2019. Orya was found guilty on 49 counts of fraud amounting to N2 billion. Although the cumulative sentence could have been 490 years, the terms were ordered to run concurrently. I commend the EFCC for its great work and resoluteness in ensuring that Mr. Robert Orya was brought to justice.

When I assumed office as Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel in August 2017, I received a memo from the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President directing me to investigate the gross mismanagement of NEXIM under Robert Orya’s leadership between 2011 and 2015. NEXIM, a financial institution belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria, was established with the mandate of encouraging import and export businesses in the country. However, under Orya, the bank diverted from its core mandate, became grossly mismanaged, and degenerated into a cesspool of corruption, graft, and fraudulent practices. Loans were granted to phony companies linked to members of the Peoples Democratic Party, legislators of the then governing party, and other politicians for ventures such as hotels, farms, and businesses far outside the bank’s mandate.

I vividly recall how Orya attempted to compromise operatives of the Panel with money when he was arrested for questioning. His overtures were firmly rebuffed, and he was severely cautioned against such corrupt practices.

Unfortunately, the Panel was later disbanded after some top functionaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration found my approach too uncompromising and difficult to handle. They targeted me, and eventually, President Buhari dissolved the Panel. More than five hundred high-profile cases handled by the Panel were transferred to the office of the then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. Sadly, none of those cases saw the light of day until that administration ended on 29 May 2023. It is clear to me that most of those cases were compromised and quietly buried. Strangely, however, Orya’s case survived and was eventually taken over by the EFCC.

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I hail the industry and resoluteness of the EFCC in ensuring that justice was finally served. The conviction of Robert Orya stands as a reminder that, despite obstacles, accountability can prevail when institutions remain steadfast.

Conclusion:
The journey from investigation to conviction in the Robert Orya case underscores the importance of persistence in the fight against corruption. While many cases were compromised, this one survived, proving that justice, though delayed, can still be achieved.

@ Okoi Obono-Obla