The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has convicted and sentenced a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Roberts Orya, to 10 years’ imprisonment for his role in a ₦2.4 billion bank fraud.
Justice F. E. Messiri delivered the judgment on Thursday, February 5, 2026, after finding Orya guilty on 49 counts of obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud.
Orya, who was arraigned in 2021 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was accused of fraudulent loan disbursements carried out during his tenure as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank.
In his ruling, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant on all counts.
The court sentenced Orya to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, amounting to a total of 490 years. However, the judge ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
Orya had pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading to a full trial during which the prosecution called seven witnesses to testify.
Prosecution counsel, Samuel Ugwuebulam, told the court that the former NEXIM boss abused his office by fraudulently inducing the bank to release large sums of money to companies under false pretences.
One of the charges stated that on September 21, 2011, Orya induced NEXIM Bank to pay ₦488 million to Treasuremix Construction Limited as a loan, under the false claim that Luxurium Leisure Services Limited had applied for and was the beneficiary of the facility.
Another count alleged that on February 19, 2013, he similarly induced the bank to release ₦630 million to the same company under false pretences.
The offences, according to the charge, contravened Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the Act.
The prosecution maintained that the loan transactions were fraudulent and that the companies presented as beneficiaries were used as fronts to siphon funds from the bank.
Justice Messiri agreed with the prosecution, stating that the evidence before the court clearly established the guilt of the defendant.
“The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” the judge ruled.
The court also noted that the offences amounted to serious breaches of trust, particularly given the strategic role of NEXIM Bank in supporting Nigeria’s economic development.
Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016. He was first appointed on August 14, 2009 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and reappointed on August 18, 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The EFCC described the conviction as a major milestone, reaffirming its commitment to holding public officers accountable and ensuring that economic crimes are punished in accordance with the law.
