A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has sentenced Robert Orya, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to a total of 490 years’ imprisonment over a ₦2.4 billion fraud case.
Justice F.E. Messiri on Thursday convicted Orya on all 49 counts filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), sentencing him to 10 years on each count, to run concurrently. Orya served as NEXIM MD between 2009 and 2016.
The EFCC accused him of abusing his office to fraudulently obtain over ₦1.4 billion by incorporating a company using fictitious identities and names of individuals without their consent to secure loans that were left unpaid for years.
Orya pleaded not guilty during his trial, which began after his arraignment in November 2021. The court, however, found the prosecution’s evidence compelling and upheld the charges.
The conviction marks a significant outcome in Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive, reinforcing accountability in the management of public financial institutions.
