By EDITH NWAPI

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not charge former Power and Steel minister, Dr Olu Agunloye, with six billion dollars fraud.

Agunloye in his writ of summons in the defamation suit marked FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, filed by his counsel, Adeola Adedipe SAN, claimed that the EFCC damaged his good name on its social media handles.

The former minister added and his integrity into murky waters, alleging him to be corrupt and fraudulent individual.

He, therefore, sought a declaration of the court that the post is false and defamatory of him.

Agunloye also sought an order for EFCC to retract the defamatory publication against him and tender unreserved apologies.

He further sought the payment of compensation of N1billion as general and exemplary damage to him.

Earlier, the EFCC sole witness, Umar Babangida, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) who is an investigator with EFCC was cross examined by Adedipe.

Babangida told the court that he was a witness in the criminal case before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie in Apo, Abuja.

The matter, he said, has not been concluded.

When Adedipe showed the witness the criminal charge against Agunloye to show the court where six billion dollars was contained, Babangida told the court:”there nothing like that in the charge”.

When shown Paragraph 29 of his witnesses statement on oath, Babangida retracted and confirmed to the court the said publication was from the commission’s media department.

“I don’t know if Exhibit C (the publication) is an EFCC publication. I am an investigator, not in the media department. The publication is from the EFCC media department.”

Earlier, Babangida had, while being led in his evidence by EFCC counsel, O.S. Ajayi, adopted his written statement and urged the court to accept it as his oral evidence in the case.

Justice Peter Kekemeke, adjourned until Feb. 2, 2026 for adoption of parties’ final written addresses.

Agunloye is facing an amended seven-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/617/2023, bordering on forgery, disobeying presidential directive and receiving gratification, filed by EFCC on award of the controversial Mambilla hydropower project in Taraba.

EFCC alleged that the former minister awarded contract for the Mambilla project on May 22, 2003 to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.

The commission also, among others, alleged that the former minister received the total sum of N5.212million from SPTCL and Leno Adesanya, through Jide Abiodun Sotirin through Agunloye’s Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) account, for conveying the Federal Government’s approval for the construction of the Mambilla power project in favour of SPTCL while serving as minister.

Agunloye, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by EFCC. (NAN)

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