Ex-Lawmaker Petitions Trump, Seeks Review of 2006 US Probe On Atiku - THISDAYLIVE

A former member of the Federal House of Representatives and former Federal Commissioner of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, has petitioned United States President Donald Trump, calling for a review of the historical U.S. financial-crime investigation involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and related transactions.

The former lawmaker, in a petition dated September 24, 2026, and made available to newsmen weekend urged President Trump to direct the appropriate U.S. authorities to revisit an investigation initiated by a June 22, 2006 letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to Nigerian authorities, referenced MEW:DPW:KDL:AV 1 File 182-23818.

He specifically called for the review of the original 2006 investigative request and all related records, including materials generated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following the U.S. request. 

He also called for a fresh examination of the findings of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations arising from its February 4, 2010 hearing, Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories.

He said the historical records referenced in his petition involved allegations concerning bribery, money laundering, wire fraud, conspiracy and other financial transactions linked to entities and individuals associated with Atiku. 

He stressed, however, that the allegations and investigative findings should not be interpreted as proof of criminal guilt.

 “This call is not a declaration that any individual is guilty of a crime, but a demand that the appropriate authorities examine the historical investigative record and determine whether any matter remains legally actionable.”

The petitioner drew particular attention to the 2010 Senate investigation, which included an “Abubakar Case Study: Using Offshore Companies to Bring Suspect Funds Into the United States.” 

He said the congressional record examined millions of dollars transferred through offshore entities and U.S. 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.

The Edo born politician further asked the U.S. authorities to examine the historical EFCC materials and determine whether any of the transactions identified in the congressional record remain within U.S. jurisdiction or are legally actionable. 

“If the competent authorities determine that the evidence no longer supports any legal action, they should say so. If, however, there are matters that remain within the jurisdiction of the United States and are legally actionable, then those matters should be addressed in accordance with American law,” he said.

He also urged the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI and other competent agencies, where legally permissible, to cooperate with Nigerian authorities on any outstanding cross-border financial-crime issues arising from the historical investigation. 

According to him, any renewed examination must take account of due process, applicable statutes of limitation, evidentiary standards, jurisdictional requirements and the presumption of innocence.

Defending the petition as a call for institutional accountability rather than political persecution, Agbonayinma said: “Nobody should be above the law. Let the evidence speak. Let the law take its course.” 

He urged President Trump and the relevant U.S. authorities to determine whether the historical records warrant further action, stressing that the objective was to establish the legal status of the matter rather than to prejudge any individual.

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