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Alleged $6bn fraud: Ex-power minister opposes EFCC amended charge

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A former minister of power, Dr Olu Agunloye, on Monday challenged the amended charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an FCT High Court.

He is standing trial on allegations of some infractions in the award of the six billion dollars Mambila Hydropower plant in Taraba.

Agunloye, who served as minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, is charged with seven counts bordering on forgery, disobedience to presidential order before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.

In the suit, marked FCT/HC/CR/617/22, EFCC alleged that Agunloye on May 22, 2003 awarded a contract titled “Construction of 3,960 megawatt Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on build, operate.

EFCC claimed that the transfer basis was to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.

The commission also, among others, alleged that it traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited to the former minister’s accounts.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

At the resumed hearing of the matter , the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammad, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution filed an amended charge before the court and also provided additional six proof of  evidence.

He, therefore, urged the court to allow the defendant take his plea to the amended charge.

Opposing this, Agunloye, through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe SAN, told the court that the case was adjourned for the defence to cross examine the second prosecution witness (PW2), Adewale Agunbiade.

He told the court that the defence came prepared to cross examine the PW2.

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He stated that the prosecution should allow its witness to be cross examined first before talking about amendment of the charge before the court.

He said the prosecution cannot unilaterally amend the charge before the court.

Adedipe further said for the prosecution to amend the charge against the defendant, it ought to apply formally to the court for leave to do so.

He cited the provisions of Section 218(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

Responding, Muhammed said the prosecution has the power to amend the charge against any defendant at any stage of trial before judgment and cited Section 216(1) and (2) to back his submission.

After listening to their submissions, Justice Onwuegbuzie directed the prosecution to formally apply for the amendment of the charge to allow the defence respond to same.

He added that the court would hear the application at the next adjourned date.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case until Nov.  11.

Earlier, the PW2, a Compliance Officer with Jaiz Bank, who previously worked as a Compliance Officer with Guaranty Trust Bank, had on Sept 23 testified.

He told the court that while he was with the later, the EFCC wrote an investigation activity inquiry to the bank in respect two of its customers, Agunloye and one Sotirin  Abiodun.

The witness said GT Bank furnished the EFCC with the account opening documents, statements of accounts of the customers.

Reading from exhibits earlier tendered by the prosecution, the witness told the court that N5.2 million was transferred to Agunloye by Sotirin between August and November , 2019.(NAN)

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Anambra Sanctions School For Selling Prefect Post

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The Anambra Government has imposed a one-month sanction on Blossom Fount School, Awka, for allegedly selling the position of head prefect during a student election.

This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.

According to the commissioner, the school reportedly demanded N5,000 from each pupil aspiring to become head prefect in the primary section.

Chuma-Udeh condemned the act, describing it as an attempt to “sell the psyche of the children to the highest bidder from the cradle.”

According to her, such practices are unacceptable under the administration of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo.

She said that an investigation was ongoing to examine the school’s broader management practices, with the possibility of further actions based on the findings.

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Atiku Blasts EFCC Over Kazaure’s Detention

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Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the arrest and continued detention of former House of Representatives member, Muhammad Kazaure, describing it as a violation of due process.

In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Atiku said Kazaure’s detention reflects a brazen disregard for the rule of law, accusing the anti-graft agency of operating beyond the limits of the Nigerian Constitution.

Atiku alleged that the EFCC is increasingly becoming a tool for political repression, citing what he called a troubling pattern of lawlessness under the current administration.

 

He said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has once again plunged headlong into its well-worn pattern of lawlessness, arresting and detaining citizens with brazen disregard for due process and without offering any justification for its actions.”

Atiku also referenced the recent arrest of social commentator Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, whose release followed intense public pressure. He suggested that Kazaure’s case fits into a broader trend of state institutions being used to silence dissenting voices.

“We witnessed this same abuse in the unlawful arrest and detention of Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, whose release was only secured after massive public outrage and pressure.

“Now, the EFCC has targeted Hon. Muhammad Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives and an unapologetic critic of the gross misgovernance and failings of the Tinubu administration.

“Abducted in Kano and whisked away to Abuja, Kazaure is presently being held incommunicado, with no formal charge or explanation offered to his family, legal team, or the Nigerian people.

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“Let it be stated without equivocation: even if there were legitimate grounds for arresting any citizen, such action must adhere strictly to the rule of law. The EFCC is duty-bound to publicly disclose the reasons for any arrest and must not detain individuals indefinitely under the guise of investigation.

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unequivocal on this matter—every detainee must be promptly charged to court or released. By once again trampling on the fundamental rights of a Nigerian citizen, the EFCC is entrenching itself deeper into the mire of impunity and constitutional delinquency.

“It’s deafening silence regarding the arrest of Hon. Kazaure, a man who represented the good people of Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency, lays bare the agency’s contempt for transparency and justice.

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Suspended Sen Natasha Trends Over ‘Omo Ologo’ TikTok Amid Akpabio Feud

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Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has ignited social media buzz after posting a 15-second TikTok video set to the trending song Omo Ologo — a track closely linked with President Bola Tinubu.

The video, shared on her TikTok page on May 8, shows the embattled lawmaker smiling and playfully interacting with the camera. Captioned, “Just for fun, song choked,” the post has drawn mixed reactions online, with some interpreting it as a light-hearted moment, while others suspect a deeper political undertone.

The video comes just days after the song Omo Ologo was performed live by Kano-based singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara during a dinner in Katsina State held in honour of President Tinubu, who was on a two-day working visit to assess security in the region.

The song, which blends Hausa and Yoruba, praises Tinubu as a victorious leader who has outlasted his critics.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s TikTok post follows a series of dramatic exchanges between her and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The senator was suspended from the upper legislative chamber in March after accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment — an allegation that triggered heated debate in the National Assembly.

In what appeared to be a bold response to her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan recently posted a sarcastic apology video to Akpabio on Facebook, in which she claimed she was sorry “for the crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect.”

The post was accompanied by a short video, further fueling controversy.

Akpabio’s legal team has since approached a federal high court in Abuja, seeking an order compelling the senator to delete the post from her social media pages.

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In a counter-affidavit filed by her lawyer, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), Akpoti-Uduaghan’s camp described the motion as an attempt to silence and intimidate her.

The court is expected to rule on the matter on May 12.

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