Appeal Court Tell Ex-NEXIM Boss, “This One No Be Ordinary Appeal” Over ₦2.4bn Fraud

The Appeal Court sitting for Abuja don put another judicial full stop on the case of former Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) Managing Director, Robert Orya, after the court dismissed his appeal and upheld the conviction handed down by the Federal Capital Territory High Court over alleged ₦2.4 billion fraud. The appellate court judgment come on September 8, 2026, after a three-member panel unanimously agreed say the appeal no get merit.

For the mathematics department, the original sentence fit sound like something wey calculator go reject: Justice F.E. Messiri had sentenced Orya to 10 years on each of 49 counts, making 490 years on paper. But because the sentences dey run concurrently, the practical imprisonment term no be 490 years; na the concurrent structure of the sentence matter.

Appeal Court Confirms Orya’s Conviction on 49 Fraud Counts

Justice Muhammed Danjuma, who led the Appeal Court panel alongside Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, said the issues Orya raised in the appeal were resolved against him. The panel therefore dismissed the appeal and affirmed the February 5, 2026 judgment of the FCT High Court.

The case started from a 49-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with allegations including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving about ₦2.4 billion. Orya had pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in 2021, before the matter eventually reached judgment.

Court Say Appeal No Get Merit

Orya served as NEXIM Bank Managing Director between 2009 and 2016. According to reports on the case, the EFCC alleged that he abused his position in connection with loans and companies, including allegations involving fictitious names and unpaid facilities. The trial court ultimately found the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Now that the appeal court has spoken, the matter has entered another important stage in Nigeria’s long-running fight against financial crimes. The lesson from the courtroom arithmetic is straightforward: 49 counts multiplied by 10 years can produce 490 years on paper, but when those sentences run concurrently, the number should not be interpreted as 490 years physically served one after another.

For now, Orya’s appeal don fail, the earlier conviction don stand, and the ₦2.4 billion case remains a significant reminder that alleged financial misconduct involving public institutions can take years to travel from investigation to final appellate judgment. OGM News Pidgin go continue to watch the matter and bring una future updates as new developments emerge.