Former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, has expressed gratitude to God following her acquittal by the Federal High Court in Abuja in a long-running money laundering case.
Justice James Omotosho discharged and acquitted her of all charges after a six-year legal battle, describing the case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as frivolous and malicious.
The judgment triggered emotional scenes in court as supporters celebrated what they called a victory for justice.
In a statement by her media aide, Ofem Uket, Oyo-Ita was described as a reform-driven leader whose tenure significantly reshaped Nigeria’s public service for improved efficiency and accountability.
The statement noted that between 2018 and 2019, her reforms led to savings of over N288 billion, largely through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which helped eliminate payroll fraud and ghost workers.
She also introduced the Asset Tracking Management Project (ATMP) to improve government asset monitoring and collaborated on the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), which reportedly saved an additional ₦208.4 billion through payroll audits.
Her leadership was marked by the rollout of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP), aimed at modernising operations, improving accountability, and enhancing service delivery.
She also promoted the “EPIC” culture—Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-Centred governance—across ministries and agencies.
According to the statement, Oyo-Ita championed digital transformation through the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, supporting a shift to paperless operations and improved productivity.
She also oversaw the digitisation of federal personnel records, helped strengthen IPPIS human resource systems, and facilitated training for over 1,000 civil servants within three years.
Her administration upgraded the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), providing modern facilities such as clinics, accommodation, and classrooms to support capacity building.
To boost morale, she introduced a Reward and Recognition Policy for high-performing civil servants and supported the creation of the Efficiency Unit in the Ministry of Finance to reduce wasteful spending.
She also prioritised welfare through the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme to address housing challenges among public servants.
The statement concluded that despite legal challenges, her legacy remains defined by reform, transparency, and institutional strengthening.