General
Court Dismisses Olu Agunloye’s EFCC Abuse Suit, Orders N500,000 Payment
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by a former Minister of Power and Steel, Mr Olu Agunloye, alleging abuse of his fundamental rights and seeking to be shielded from investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement following the court’s judgement on Monday, the anti-graft agency said the presiding judge, Mr Obiora Egwuatu, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit and awarded a cost of N500,000 against Mr Agunloye in favour of the EFCC.
Dismissing the suit, the judge held that Mr Agunloye’s fundamental human right was not “abridged” as he claimed, noting that the investigation conducted by the EFCC was in line with the Nigerian constitution and provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004.
The judge also commended the EFCC for the civility with which it treated Mr Agunloye and advised him to stop evading criminal investigation of the Commission as there was no fundamental right against criminal investigation.
The EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye on seven-count charges, bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption to the tune of $ 6 billion.
Mr Agunloye, 75, had, in the suit, sought an order of court against his invitation, interrogation and prosecution by the EFCC in connection with the alleged award of the controversial $6 billion hydropower contract in 2003 to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company (SPTC) Limited
He allegedly awarded the contract in his capacity as the Minister of Power and Steel during the administration of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo without the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The charges also include receiving the sum of N3.6 million through his Guaranty Trust Bank account no.0022530926 from Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) in 2019.
Suing the EFCC, he alleged that his invitation and interrogation were “arbitrary, malicious, unconstitutional, unlawful and constitute a gross violation” of his right to “dignity of the human person, personal liberty and freedom of movement.”
He prayed the court “to restrain the EFCC from arresting, detaining, harassing, further inviting, interrogating, or inviting in order to arrest and or detain him with respect to the award of contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.”
In response, the EFCC argued that it was statutorily empowered by law to cause investigations to be conducted “as to whether any person, corporate body or organisation has committed any economic and financial crime.”
The EFCC counsel further argued that the commission was simply investigating the role the applicant played in the award of the Mambila Project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company.
He also said Mr Agunloye curiously jumped the administrative bail granted to him by EFCC on self-recognition, which he backed with a voluntary undertaking to provide a surety on or before 19 May 2023.
“The applicant refused to return to the office of the respondent on 19 May 2023, as undertaken by him, instead he vanished and later served the respondent with his application for enforcement of fundamental rights on 22 June 2023 pending before this honourable court thereby seeking to be shielded from a criminal investigation by this honourable court.”
The EFCC is prosecuting Mr Agunloye, who served as a minister in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on charges of forgery, disobedience of presidential order and corruption stemming from the Mambilla power contract.
The EFCC accused the former minister of awarding a contract for the construction of a 3,960MW Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on the build, operate and transfer basis to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval or cash backing.
He was arraigned on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 before a judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie.
The prosecution also 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 charges preferred against him.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Residents of Nigeria experienced a power outage on Saturday, January 11, 2025, after the national grid collapsed.
It was the first that occurred this year and it happened at about 3 pm today, according to information gathered by Business Post.
Last year, the nation recorded about 12 grid collapse that almost embarrassed the government, which later set up a team to look into the causes of the frequent collapse of the grid.
It was later that today’s incident occurred after power generation went down from 2,111.01 megawatts at 2:00 pm to about 390.20 megawatts by 4:55 pm.
This development caused a cut in power supply in most parts of the country, but the situation has been brought under control, with electricity restored in most affected areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday urged the Chinese government to increase the $2 billion currency swap between Nigeria and the Asian nation to enhance trade between the two countries.
He also called for an upward review of the $50 billion aid package for Africa, which China’s President Xi Jinping announced last year.
Recall that China and Nigeria recently renewed their currency swap agreement, valued at 15 billion Yuan (approximately $2 billion), to enhance trade and investment.
According to a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President made this appeal and more while receiving the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Mr Wang Yi, at the State House Abuja on Thursday.
The President said increasing the level of currency swaps will speed up the infrastructural development in Nigeria and deepen the strategic bilateral relations.
“We still demand more in the area of currency swap. The level you have approved as a government for Nigeria is inadequate considering our programme. If you can increase that, it will be well appreciated. Our bond should grow stronger and become unbreakable,” the President was quoted to have said in a statement
President Tinubu noted that the continent’s infrastructural needs would require more commitment, urging a review of the amount to reflect the continent’s reality.
“I am happy you are part of China’s highest decision-making body. We will want you to use your position to influence improved project funding. First, I say yes to the 50 billion dollar support, and thank you for contributing to African growth.
“The infrastructural needs of Africa are greater than that, and we want to move as rapidly as our other counterparts. All share your vision of rapid development. Africa values the relationship with China, and we seek deeper collaboration for infrastructural development,” he stated.
President Tinubu also called on China to support Nigeria’s bid for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat.
“You are a member of the UN Security Council. We want you to use your influence to ensure Nigeria secures the seat,” the President said.
The Nigerian leader thanked President Xi Jinping for his warm reception during his visit to China last year.
He said Africa, particularly Nigeria, was prepared to meet developmental goals and contribute counterpart project funding
“We are ready to move and reach the various developmental goals. Due to our deliberation, we signed many MOUs and planned many action programmes.
“My visit during FOCAC was a good experience. We signed several comprehensive MOUs during the visit. We planned several programmes of action. As a result of that deliberation, I made sure that immediately after I returned, I appointed one of the best brains available to coordinate Nigeria-China relations, Mr Joseph Tegbe. He will work to actualise various MOUs and promote a greater understanding of developmental programmes.
“It is good that you came at such a critical time. My visit to China was a good experience. Once again, accept my sympathy for the earthquake in Tibet. It was a natural disaster that nobody expected. We commend your government for the rapid reaction to protect lives.
On his part, Mr Yi said Chinese investments in the country would focus on employment generation and infrastructural development. He said the Chinese National Development Bank had started funding some development projects.
He said the Chinese Government would support including an African country in the UN Security Council, adding that “it was a historical injustice by the world that should be corrected”.
“We stand with Africa, and we will not support a country that invades another country,” he stated.
The foreign minister said China would welcome Nigeria’s membership in the BRICS and participation in the global development mechanism.
He said China fully supported Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), for a second term in office.
The minister also lauded President Tinubu for his visionary leadership and consistency in projecting Africa’s needs, which require China’s support.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has received $52.88 million recovered Galactica assets linked to a former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, from the United States Government.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) disclosed this at the formal signing ceremony of the asset agreement between Nigeria and the US in Abuja on Friday.
Delivering his remarks, Mr Fagbemi explained that $50 million of the recovered assets will be deployed through the World Bank to the development of the rural electrification project and the remaining $2 million will be deployed to the International Institute of Justice to expand the Justice system and also counter corruption.
Mr Fagbemi noted that the asset return marks a milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the US in combating corruption and upholding the rule of law
He said the event is also a significant effort by President Bola Tinubu to address the issue of corruption.
Meanwhile, in his remarks, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Richard Mills called for the monitoring and effectively utilizing the recovered assets by the Ministry of Justice to benefit Nigerians.
Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has been accused of abusing her power when she was petroleum minister under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria, including accepting financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.
In 2023, the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) alleged that Mrs Alison-Madueke benefited from at least £100,000 ($127,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.
Other charges against her also detail financial rewards, including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods, the NCA said.
Since she left office, she has been dogged by corruption allegations but denies the charges.
The 63-year-old woman has been on bail since first being arrested in London in October 2015.
The US Department of Justice has recovered assets totalling $53.1 million linked to Mrs Alison-Madueke’s alleged corruption.
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