Former Skye Bank chairman Tunde Ayeni pleaded not guilty to 18 counts in Abuja; Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says trial is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027, over alleged diversion of ₦15.39 billion.
The commission’s Nov. 11 release gives the alleged amount as ₦15,391,093,665.00 and says the charges concern criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and diversion of funds belonging to Skye Bank. An earlier EFCC release described the case as involving ₦15.6 billion. Ayeni appeared before Justice H. Mu’azu at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama after the case was transferred from Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie’s court in Apo.
The EFCC’s summary of counts eight and nine describes two alleged transfers from a Skye Bank suspense account. It says ₦3,113,543,665.42 went to Misa Limited’s Zenith Bank account on Nov. 20, 2014, and ₦5,078,550,000 went to Greenwich Registrar’s Union Bank account on Dec. 2, 2014, on Ayeni’s direction.
Separately, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said its July 4, 2016, regulatory action at Skye Bank followed governance lapses and the bank’s persistent failure to meet minimum requirements in key prudential and capital-adequacy ratios. In September 2018, the CBN revoked the bank’s license and announced that Polaris Bank would take over its assets and liabilities.
EFCC notices list earlier arraignments on May 4, June 22 and July 16. The commission reported on July 20 that a prosecution witness had testified before Onwuegbuzie. Its Nov. 11 release does not explain how that testimony fits the transferred case, but identifies Jan. 19, 2027, as the date for trial commencement.
