Court of Appeal Upholds 490-Year Jail Term for Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Over N2.4bn Fraud

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the conviction and 490-year imprisonment handed down to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya, over a N2.4bn fraud.

 

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

 

The other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.

 

According to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Justice Danjuma held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the judgment delivered by Justice F.E. Messiri on February 5, 2026.

 

The appellate court resolved all the issues raised by Orya in favour of the EFCC and against him, subsequently dismissing the appeal.

 

Orya was prosecuted by the EFCC after he was arraigned in 2021 on a 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving N2.4bn.

 

The trial court found him guilty on all 49 counts after holding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

 

Justice Messiri sentenced Orya to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, totalling 490 years. The sentences are to run concurrently.

 

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence.

 

However, the appellate court rejected the appeal and upheld the findings of the trial court.

 

Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016. He was first appointed to head the bank on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.