Winifred Oyo-Ita, the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, has expressed profound gratitude following her acquittal by a Federal High Court in Abuja. The ruling brings an end to a high-profile legal battle that spanned six years, during which she faced allegations of money laundering brought forward by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In a decisive judgment, Justice James Omotosho discharged and acquitted Oyo-Ita of all charges, labeling the prosecution’s case as both frivolous and malicious. The courtroom was filled with emotion as supporters celebrated the verdict, viewing it as a long-awaited vindication of her character and service to the nation.
Reflecting on her time in office, a statement released by her media aide, Ofem Uket, described her as a visionary leader who spearheaded critical reforms in the Nigerian public service. Oyo-Ita’s tenure between 2018 and 2019 was marked by significant financial milestones, including the recovery of over N288 billion. These savings were largely attributed to her aggressive implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, which targeted payroll fraud and successfully flushed out ghost workers.
Beyond payroll management, her administration collaborated on the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit, which saved an additional N208.4 billion through meticulous financial oversight. She also introduced the Asset Tracking Management Project to ensure better accountability for government property. Her broader reform agenda, known as the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, was designed to modernize operations and instill what she called the “EPIC” culture—a civil service that is Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-Centred.
Oyo-Ita was also a strong advocate for a digital-first government. She pushed for the adoption of the Enterprise Content Management platform to move toward paperless operations and oversaw the digitization of records for thousands of federal employees. Her commitment to capacity building saw the upgrading of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria and the training of over 1,000 civil servants during her leadership.
The statement further highlighted her focus on the well-being of the workforce, noting the introduction of a Reward and Recognition Policy to boost morale and the Federal Integrated Staff Housing programme to provide affordable homes for workers. Despite the legal hurdles of the past few years, those close to her maintain that her legacy remains defined by a commitment to transparency and the structural transformation of the Nigerian civil service.
