Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi taken into EFCC custody in Abuja; probe said to involve contract awards, intervention fund disbursements, and suspicious financial transactions running into hundreds of billions of naira
By: Tunji Okunlola
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, over an alleged ₦500 billion money laundering scheme. The arrest was carried out in Abuja on Wednesday.
The development comes on the heels of the recent conviction of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in a ₦33.8 billion fraud case signalling what analysts describe as an intensifying anti-corruption sweep across Nigeria’s energy sector.
What the Investigation Covers
Sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that EFCC operatives are currently scrutinising a series of financial transactions linked to the Energy Commission of Nigeria as part of an ongoing probe into the alleged fraud. Investigators are said to have uncovered suspicious movements of funds running into hundreds of billions of naira.
Although details of the allegations remain sketchy as of press time, sources within the commission indicated that the probe may involve contract awards, disbursement of intervention funds, and other financial dealings under the agency’s supervision.
EFCC Source Confirms Custody
A senior EFCC official, who requested anonymity, confirmed to our correspondent that Dr. Abdullahi is currently in the commission’s custody. As at press time, the Energy Commission of Nigeria had not issued any official statement regarding the allegations against its Director-General.
The development has thrown the Energy Commission into the spotlight, with analysts describing the investigation as one of the largest corruption probes involving a federal agency in recent times.
Background: Pattern of Energy Sector Prosecutions
The arrest of Dr. Abdullahi follows a broader pattern of enforcement actions targeting Nigeria’s energy sector. The EFCC’s recent conviction of former Power Minister Saleh Mamman in a ₦33.8 billion fraud case has emboldened investigators to pursue higher-profile targets, according to sources close to the commission.
The Energy Commission of Nigeria is a statutory body mandated to regulate and coordinate activities in the energy sector, including the supervision of intervention funds aimed at promoting renewable energy and rural electrification across the country.
Tags: #dg #efcc #money laundering