The Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre (HEDA) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate an alleged money-laundering transaction involving former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the petition signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA referenced a November 25, 2025, media report in which Fayose admitted giving Obasanjo $20,000 in cash as logistics support for attending his 65th birthday celebration in Lagos. Obasanjo, in turn, publicly confirmed returning the money in cash.
The group stated that the admissions by both men constituted a breach of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which limits individual cash transactions to ₦5 million and mandates that larger sums be routed through financial institutions.
HEDA noted that Section 19 of the Act prescribes penalties for such prohibited transactions.
Suraju said the statements by Fayose and Obasanjo were clear admissions of a prohibited financial transaction conducted far above the legal cash threshold.
He urged the EFCC to urgently investigate and prosecute the matter to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s anti-money-laundering regime.
The organisation cautioned that overlooking the incident would undermine ongoing efforts to curb the dollarisation of the economy and weaken public confidence in anti-money-laundering enforcement.
It cited the recent conviction of Mr Precious Uzondu for foreign-currency transactions as evidence of the EFCC’s renewed determination to enforce the law.
HEDA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting accountability and urged the Commission to treat the matter with utmost seriousness.
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