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 Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Police Command is investigating the delivery of a parcel containing live ammunition delivered to the managing director of First Bank Nigeria, Mr Oluwasegun Alebiosu.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State command, Mr Tijani Fatai, confirmed the incident on Tuesday during a press briefing at the command headquarters.
He said Mr Alebiosu reported the case on May 7, noting that two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were sent to him through a parcel.
“The managing director reported the matter to the police after a package containing two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition was delivered on his behalf by his security guard at his residence. The case is still under investigation, and we are treating it with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
According to him, the parcel was first received by the bank chief’s security guard, who then handed it over to him.
The police commissioner said that operatives have launched an investigation, including forensic analysis and intelligence work, to identify the perpetrators and the circumstances of the incident.
He added that no suspect linked to the crime has been brought into custody.
“Presently, no suspect is in custody. Even though the MD has mentioned some people whom he suspected of being the brains behind it, that is his suspicion, anyway. We are still working on it,” he said.
Mr Fatai noted that detectives are reviewing information provided by the complainant, including details of individuals who may have relevant knowledge of the incident.
He assured the public that the command would keep them informed as the investigations go on, adding that the public should allow the police to carry out their duties.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has approved the declaration of a 16-hour curfew in 10 local government areas of the state, as part of measures targeted at tackling insecurity.
According to a memo issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Musibau Babatunde, the curfew takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The movement restriction, between 4 pm and 8 am, lasts for 48 hours in the first instance and affects local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park.
The affected local councils are Oriire local government (Headquarters: Ikoyi-Ile), Orelope (Headquarters: Igboho), Irepo (Headquarters: Kisi), Saki West (Headquarters: Saki), Saki East (Hq Ago-Amodu), Atisbo (Headquarters: Tede / Ago-Are), Itesiwaju (Headquarters: Otu), Iseyin (Headquarters: Iseyin), Olorunsogo (Headquarters: Igbeti), and Atiba (Headquarters: Offa-Meta, Oyo).
The development followed a series of protests that rocked the state over the abduction of children and teachers in the Orire Local Government Area in May.
The National Coordinator of the movement, Mr Juwon Sanyaolu, who spoke during the latest protest held on Monday, said the demonstration was part of ongoing efforts by the group to push for the freedom of the victims.
According to him, the protest “is a continuation of actions the organisation has embarked upon since the abduction of children and teachers” in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State in May.”
“We will continue to protest for the release of all abducted victims until they are free. We believe that government officials are in the comfort of their rooms and offices while innocent 46 students and their teachers are languishing in the kidnappers’ den.
“We are demanding freedom for all captives in the North, South, West, and East of Nigeria,” Mr Sanyaolu said.
He also criticised political leaders for focusing on preparations for the 2027 elections while insecurity continues to threaten the lives of Nigerians.
“We will not be sitting until 2027. By that time, we won’t even know how many will be alive.
“So that is why we are at the heart of Ibadan in Oyo State, where the abduction took place. The state and federal governments must act, or they will continue to witness mass action,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Department of State Services (DSS) has closed its case against former Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling further witnesses in the matter, prompting the formal closure of the DSS case.
Following the development, defence counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro, told the court that the defence intends to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient evidence against the former governor.
The defence subsequently sought two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution requested two weeks to respond.
The defence also applied for a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, describing them as stringent and difficult to meet.
They argued that the bail terms were too stringent, particularly the requirements for level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna state traditional council.
However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that qualified public officers who meet the conditions exist and urging the court to refuse the application.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the request to vary the bail conditions, ruling that there are civil servants who own properties at the said location.
The court, however, adjourned to September 22 for the filing of the no-case submission and continuation of the trial.
In February, the federal government filed a three-count charge against the former governor of Kaduna State over an alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu.
In a television interview, he confessed that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mr Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.
However, the FG, through the secret police, filed charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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