Appeal Court upholds 490-year sentence for ex-NEXIM Bank MD over N2.4bn fraud
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday, has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Robert Orya, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to 490 years’ imprisonment for a N2.4 billion fraud.
This was confirmed in a statement made available by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday.
Justice Muhammed Danjuma, leading Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, delivered a unanimous judgment dismissing Orya’s appeal.
The court stated, “I have considered all briefs filed by counsel and have gone through the record of the trial court in my final analysis, all the issues formulated for the determination of this appeal are resolved in favour of the respondent and against the appellant. This appeal is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory delivered on February 5, 2026 is hereby affirmed.”
Orya was earlier convicted by Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court on 49 counts bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud.
He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, totaling 490 years, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
The EFCC had arraigned him in 2021.
Orya served as NEXIM Bank Managing Director between 2009 and 2016, first appointed by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and later reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
