The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arraigned a Director in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mrs Adiobome Blessing Lere-Adams, on charges of money laundering and corruption.

Mrs Lere-Adams appeared before Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 16, 2026. The charges, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/551/2025, alleged that she illegally received and retained funds from a subordinate, which she knew, or ought reasonably to have known, were proceeds of corruption.

The alleged offences were said to have occurred between August 2022 and January 2024 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The ICPC prosecution team, led by Mrs Onwuka Ngozi, told the court that the defendant received various sums of money from her subordinate, Mr Henry David.

She was further accused of transferring substantial portions of the funds to her spouse, Mr Olujimi Lere-Adams, and into a Fidelity Bank account belonging to her son, Jafe Joel Lere-Adams, despite allegedly being aware that the money originated from unlawful activity.

The defendant faces a six-count charge bordering on alleged violations of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Penal Code (Northern Nigeria) Federal Provisions Act, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Blessing Adiobome Lere-Adams (F), on or about August 18, 2022 at Abuja, FCT within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being a Director at Federal Ministry of Works and Housing directly took possession of and retained N2,000,000.00 transferred to your First Bank account number 3002361584 by one Henry David, your subordinate, when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption.”

Thereby, you committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

Represented by her counsel, Barrister Nduka, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following an application by the defence for bail on liberal terms, Justice Liman granted her bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in the like amount. The surety is required to reside within the court’s jurisdiction with a verifiable address, provide two passport photographs for verification by the National Identity Management Commission, and submit a sworn affidavit along with three years’ tax clearance for the court’s inspection.

The court granted a 72-hour grace period for the defendant to meet the bail conditions and warned that the bail would be revoked if the terms were not satisfied within the stipulated time.

The matter was adjourned till April 20, 2026 for hearing.