December 21, (THEWILL) – A former Minister of Power and former Minister of State for Defence, Olu Agunloye, has regained freedom from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in Abuja.
Agunloye, a minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government between 1999 and 2003, was arrested on Wednesday, December 13, after he reported at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency was said to have released Agunloye to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeola Adedipe, around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the ex-minister’s release.
“Yes, you’re right, Mr Agunloye has been released by the commission”, he said.
The EFCC had declared Agunloye wanted over an alleged $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract contract.
Former President Obasanjo had accused Agunloye of mismanaging the power project during his tenure from 1999 to 2003 and failed to brief him on the state of the project.
Obasanjo had accused Agunloye of fraudulently awarding the contract for the power project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd, without the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Sunrise is currently in arbitration against Nigeria demanding billions of dollars for the failed contract.
