Babcock University Student Arrested by EFCC Over Alleged Debt, Misses Exams
A 19-year-old Nursing Science student at Babcock University, Oluwateniola Omidiji, finds herself entangled in a legal dispute after being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged debt owed by her mother, Mrs. Omoniyi Omidiji.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
A Babcock University student, Oluwateniola Omidiji, is caught in a legal tussle following her arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged debt owed by her mother, Mrs. Omoniyi Omidiji. The 19-year-old Nursing Science student, who is in her 300-level, was apprehended by EFCC operatives on April 26, 2024, directly from the school premises, causing her to miss her exams.
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The arrest stems from a business transaction involving Oluwateniola's widowed mother back in 2020. According to court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos with the case number FHC/L/CS/759/224, Oluwateniola was detained by EFCC operatives concerning a debt allegedly owed by her mother to Mr. Charles Nwoko from a business deal.
Mr. Nwoko claims to have invested N100,000,000 into Mrs. Omidiji’s business, Elisto Global Services Limited, where Oluwateniola was also listed as a partner. This investment was made in 2020, during Mrs. Omidiji’s absence abroad. EFCC's investigation, conducted at the Corporate Affairs Commission, revealed that Elisto Global Services Limited received funds from Mr. Nwoko on behalf of Mrs. Omidiji.
Oluwateniola has been detained in an EFCC facility for ten days, coinciding with her school’s examination period. Court documents indicate that EFCC maintains Oluwateniola should be held accountable for her mother’s involvement in the business deal with Mr. Nwoko, as she was listed as a director of Elisto.
However, Oluwateniola’s legal representative, Chijioke Emeka, SAN, argues that she was a minor at the time of the business agreement, having been only 16 years old. Emeka seeks enforcement of Oluwateniola’s fundamental human rights, including human dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and freedom of movement. In the court filing, Emeka demands N10,000,000 in damages for Oluwateniola, citing the breach of her fundamental rights.
Efforts to reach EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, for comment were unsuccessful, and no date has been set for further hearing of the case. This situation highlights the complexities surrounding legal matters involving minors in business transactions and underscores the importance of protecting individuals’ fundamental rights in legal proceedings.
