The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr Godwin Sunday Audu, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Apo, Abuja, over allegations of corrupt enrichment and falsification of age.
Dr Audu was arraigned on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, before Honourable Justice Binta Dogonyaro on a three-count charge filed by the Commission and marked CR/634/25.
The charges allege that the defendant, at various times between January 1990 and December 2024, abused his office to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself and falsified his date of birth to unlawfully extend his tenure in the federal public service.
At the commencement of proceedings, counsel to the defendant, L. O. Ali, sought to raise preliminary objections, contending that a similar matter was pending before another court and alleging that the instant charge was filed in bad faith.
However, counsel to the ICPC, Glory Iroegbu, opposed the application, relying on Section 396 (1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which requires that arraignment be concluded before the hearing of any preliminary objections.
In a ruling, Justice Dogonyaro upheld the position of the prosecution and directed that the defendant take his plea.
One of the counts alleges that Dr Drudu, while serving as Acting Comptroller General of NAQS, used his position to confer corrupt advantage upon himself by procuring the sale of an official Toyota Prado Land Cruiser SUV to himself for the sum of ₦4,000,000.00 without following due process, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The Commission further alleged that the defendant made a false declaration of age in January 1990 to officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development by stating his date of birth as December 3, 1964, instead of July 25, 1960.
According to the charge, the defendant also allegedly continued to receive salaries and emoluments between January 2020 and December 2024 beyond his legitimate retirement period, having relied on the purported falsification of his date of birth to fraudulently extend his years of service.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, defence counsel applied for bail, which was not opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Dogonyaro granted the defendant bail of ₦5,000,000.00 per count, with two sureties in like sum. The court further directed that the sureties must be property owners within the FCT, with at least one being a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 10. The defendant was also ordered to deposit his international passport and other relevant travel documents with the court registry.
The matter was adjourned to May 14, 2026, for commencement of hearing.
