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| Dr Olu Agunloye |
Associates of former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye, have accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of sponsoring media trials against him, even when he had shown willingness to honour the Commission’s invitation.
The former minister, a few months ago, spoke publicly about his investigation by the Commission over the stalled multi-billion-dollar Mambilla Hydropower Project.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had last week declared Agunloye wanted over alleged corruption and forgery.
The EFCC shared the public notice declaring Mr Agunloye wanted on its Facebook and Instagram channels on Tuesday.
“The public is hereby notified that Olu Agunloye, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of corruption and forgery,” the public notice read in part.
Despite his complete surprise, immediately he read on social media that he was declared wanted, Dr Agunloye reported at the anti-graft agency's office the following day.
The former minister's associates lamented that six days after the former minister reported himself at the Commission's office, he was still being detained without being arraigned before a competent court.
Several lawyers and public commentators who do not want their names in print viewed the action of the anti-corruption agency as unlawful, unconstitutional and constituted a gross violation of Agunloye's fundamental right to dignity as enshrined in Section 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution in that there was no valid reason for the subsequent arrest of Dr Agunloye when he had been cooperating with the EFCC on the alleged case of corruption and forgery, levelled against him.
Agunloye, a former head of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said despite EFCC accusations, he was never on the run, adding that he had voluntarily gone to the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Agunloye wondered why EFCC declared him wanted when he was still present physically in court at the last hearing of the matter between him and the Commission on November 20th (last month) 2023.
He emphasised that in the previous appearance in court, the matter was adjourned until February 2, 2024, questioning why EFCC was looking for him again.
“The court in the last sitting adjourned the case until February 2 next year, while it means it is compelling for both of us to be in court next at the next adjourned date. So, there is no need for EFCC to have declared me wanted.
He had stated that "as an elder statesman, at 75 years of age, who has served this nation meritoriously in different capacities, twice as a minister, I have no reason whatsoever to be on the run.
“I hold every individual and institution of government in high esteem. I am clean and have not committed any crime.
“Since I saw the publication very late last night, I will voluntarily be on my way this morning to EFCC’s office to answer whatever questions or queries they have against me.”
Upon his arrival at the Commission since last week Wednesday, he has not been seen by anybody nor has he been arraigned in court.
It would be recalled that Agunloye has always insisted that the letter of award for the contract to Sunrise for the Mambilla Power Project was a build, operate and transfer project and Sunrise was to source for the funding of the project privately.
He complained that it was former president Olusegun Obasanjo who attempted to convert the project to a procurement contract where the Federal Government funds would have to be used contrary to the BOT arrangement.
The associates believe that the only reason for Dr Agunloye's travails is the desire to criminalize the award process of the Mambilla Power Project for use at the International Arbitration Court.
They wonder why issues were not taken up against him for 20 years until the need arose to criminalise the project for arbitration.
Furthermore, these moves are inimical to foreign investment moves where potential international investors fear the risk of being labelled criminal once there is a contractual dispute which can ordinarily be decided by courts and tribunals and potential witnesses are arrested and detained.
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