FEC Directed Agunloye To Withdraw Award Of Contract-Witness In Alleged $6bn Mambilla Power Fraud

FEC directed Agunloye to withdraw award of contract-witness in alleged $6bn Mambilla power fraud. The Third Prosecuting Witness, PW3, Umar Hussein Babangida in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 restated before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja that Agunloye was directed by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo to withdraw the memo of award of Mambilla Power Project contract to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, the witness, an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, disclosed that FEC never asked the defendant to reduce the approval to 10 per cent government equity participation but rather directed him to withdraw the award memo.

Asked if he had come across an opinion letter contained in “Exhibit EFCC 3s” by a former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, SAN to the Federal Government for the revival of the contract award to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited because of its legal implications, the witness dismissed it as the opinion of the former Attorney General of the Federation.

He dismissed in the same manner, the legal opinion of another former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN to the then President Muhammadu Buhari, dated May 20, 2016 that supported that of Aondoakaa on the Mambilla Hydro Electric Power project.

Asked if he knew in 2012 that there were terms of settlement that were entered in respect of the award of contract to Sunshine Power Transmission Ltd between the Minister of Power and Attorney of the Federation and two others, he was, however, overruled by the court following an objection to it by the prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN.

EFCC

Asked if he was aware of the law on the privatization of various aspects of power supply chain and to cite any law that mandates agencies of the federal government to obtain FEC approval before issuing contract awards, the prosecution counsel, again, objected to the question, describing it as “hypothetical, not factual and in the realm of speculation.”

He further stated that it violated Section 128 of Evidence Act, noting that “This report doesn’t not make reference to any law.” The witness, he added, “should not be made to quote laws.”

The court adjourned the matter till Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Dele Oyewale

Head, Media & Publicity

February 17, 2026

EFCC Arrests Two Over Alleged N35.3m Investment Fraud In Enugu

EFCC arrests two over alleged N35.3m investment fraud in Enugu. Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested the duo of Samuel Inalegwu Okpala and Ezelibe Emmanuel Nzube for allegedly conspiring with one Chibuike VincentDePaul Izundu (at large), to defraud thirty-two (32) victims the sum of N35, 395. 000 (Thirty-five Million, Three hundred and Ninety-five Thousand naira) through fake investment.

They were arrested based on the claims of petitioners that alleged that they were lured into investing the said sum by representatives of Paybeta Digital Limited, a company linked to Izundu, the primary suspect.

According to the petitioners, the representatives of the company claimed they were dealers in recharge cards, electricity, DSTV and GOTV subscriptions. The petitioners said that they were convinced to invest in the said company, after which they would be offered 15% to 80% return on investment, depending on the duration of their investments.

“Immediately they collected the money, they ran away and all efforts made to recover our money have proved abortive”, the petitioners alleged.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Izundu connived with Okpala to defraud the petitioners, using Okpala’s account (RFB Global Resources Nigeria Limited). Upon the arrest of Okpala, a bank’s token was found in his possession meant to be delivered to Nzube as directed by Izundu, the principal suspect at large.

EFCC

Further investigations revealed incriminating messages in Okpala and Nzube’s mobile phones, linking them to Izundu’s fraudulent activities. It was also discovered that Nzube was equally into internet fraud , specializing in romance scams.

The suspects will soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Dele Oyewale

Head, Media & Publicity

February 17, 2026

EFCC Never Threatened Ali Bello, Co-defendant With Electric Chair-Witness: Alleged ₦10b Kogi Fraud

EFCC never threatened Ali Bello, co-defendant with electric chair-witness: Alleged ₦10b Kogi fraud. The Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Yazid Bawa, in the trial-within-trial arising from the prosecution of Ali Bello, nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello and Dauda Sulaiman on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, told the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho that contrary to the claim of the defendants, none of them was threatened with an electric chair in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to make their statements.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel and Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, an investigator with the EFCC when asked to disclose who threatened the second defendant, Sulaiman in the EFCC with an electric chair before writing his statement, he said, “No one. In fact, I have never seen one before.” He maintained that the statements of the defendants were voluntarily made and that no form of coercion or threat was applied on them.

Similarly, the Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, in the sub-trial and head of the EFCC team that investigated the case, Adamu Usman Yusuf also denied the allegation of application of threats on the defendants, while they were brought in to make their statements in the Commission.

“This is surprising. If my lord goes through the statements, he will see places where he (the second defendant) said that he would not comment or that he could not say anything. Throughout, Abbas (defence counsel) was present and one other lady. At lunch, they ate and then we continued,” he said.

When shown Exhibits TWT A and B and asked by the prosecuting counsel if the defendants were forced to write their statements, the PW3 answered in the negative. “No. And he signed the cautionary words,” he said.

On why the defendant was detained, the PW3 stated that it was because he failed to produce a surety.

Explaining why the statements were not audio-visually recorded, the witness stated that the statements were confessional and that the defendants’ counsel, Abbas, did not at any point complain of maltreatment of his clients.

Under cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, who claimed that Ali Bello was told by EFCC officers that he would “rot in jail” if he did not state that the properties belonged to Yahaya Bello, the witness responded: “My lord, that is not true.”

Upon the conclusion of the cross-examination session by counsel to the second defendant, both defence counsel requested an adjournment till the following day to enable them open and close their defence.

EFCC

Ali Bello, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo and Sulaiman, are being prosecuted by the EFCC on an amended 16-count charge, bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of ₦10,270,556,800.00.

The sub-trial became necessary to determine the voluntariness of the extra-judicial statements made by the defendants, having claimed mid in the trial that the Commission obtained their statements under duress.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till February 18, 2026, for the defence to open and close its case and for further continuation of hearing.