NIGERIA: EFCC Continues Trial Of Former Minister Agunloye Over Mambila Power Deal

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The trial of former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye, continued on Monday, June 16, 2025, before Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja.

The third prosecution witness in the trial, Umar Babangida, told the court that Agunloye’s successor, Senator Liyel Imoke, revealed that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, did not approve the award of the Mambila Hydro Power Project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.

Agunloye is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven-count charge related to the fraudulent award of the \$6 billion contract and official corruption.

Babangida said that between August 2003 and November 2006, the EFCC invited Imoke for questioning.

He told the investigators that he had written to Sunrise, notifying them that the FEC meeting of May 21, 2003, did not approve the memo by Agunloye awarding the project to them.

The witness quoted Imoke as advising Sunrise to instead participate in a formal bidding process when advertised.

He also noted that Imoke stated no approval for Sunrise was granted during his tenure, which ended in November 2006.

According to Babangida, Imoke gave this statement to the EFCC in his own handwriting.

However, when the witness attempted to discuss general findings made by the investigative team, defence counsel Adeola Adedipe, SAN, objected.

He argued that any such findings must be presented formally in court as evidence.

Prosecution counsel Abba Mohammed, SAN, countered, saying the witness had the right to give oral testimony based on his work as an investigator.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter to July 7, 2025, to rule on whether the witness can testify about findings not tendered in court.

He further adjourned the trial to July 10 and 16, 2025, for continuation.