The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to collaborate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in investigating and prosecuting Robert and Mimie Oshodin for their alleged involvement in the diversion of public funds and money laundering connected to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).
In a petition signed by HEDA and signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the anti-corruption organization alleged that the Oshodins acted as conduits for the illicit transfer of millions of naira and dollars under the guise of “consulting services” and “special operations” shortly after Dasuki’s appointment as NSA.
According to a recent investigative report published by PremiumTimes, an online news platform, the couple received N270 million and several other payments, including a $12 million transfer in 2014 for a purported “counter-radicalization campaign.” The funds were allegedly laundered through real estate acquisitions in the United States.
The report revealed that the Oshodins used their California-based firm, 1812 Corporation, to purchase high-value properties, including a $9.5 million historic mansion in Los Angeles and the Dorothy Chandler Estate near Washington, D.C., acquired just days apart. Additional properties, totaling nearly $24 million, were purchased between 2012 and 2015 in locations such as Los Angeles, McLean, and Virginia.
HEDA expressed concern over the scale of the illicit financial flows, noting that Nigeria loses approximately $18 billion annually to such activities, according to the Attorney General of the Federation. The organization called for the EFCC and FBI to collaborate in tracing and repatriating the stolen assets while ensuring the Oshodins’ prosecution is speedily concluded and illicit assets forfeited.
“This case underscores the urgent need for global partnerships to address financial crimes that undermine Nigeria’s development,” Suraju stated in the petition. “We demand that the EFCC and FBI take swift action to recover these assets and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
HEDA reaffirmed its support for the EFCC’s efforts to combat corruption and emphasized the importance of decisive action in high-profile cases to restore public trust and deter future offenses.
