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JUST IN: Ex-minister, Agunloye Released From Prison

Published

2 years ago

January 19, 2024

A former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting up with his bail condition, PUNCH Online gathered.

It was learnt that Agunloye was released on Friday.

The spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Adamu Duza, confirmed this to our correspondent.

Duza said, “Agunloye has been released from the prison after meeting his bail condition. He was released this evening around 5:30pm.”

A Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the remand of Agunloye in Kuje Custodial Centre over a $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Agunloye before the Federal High Court in Abuja where he pleaded not guilty to the charges read against him.

The judge, however, ordered that the embattled former minister be remanded in Kuje custodial centre pending when bail would be granted.

It will be recalled that the EFCC declared Agunloye wanted in connection with a $6 billion power scheme involving the Mambilla hydropower project.

EFCC alleged that Agunloye, who served as a minister between 1999 and 2003, under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, illegally awarded a contract for the construction of a 3,960 MW Mambilla hydroelectric power station on a build, operate, and transfer basis.

The agency told the court that the contract, which was awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, was done without any budgetary provision, approval, or cash backing.

Agunloye was equally alleged to have corruptly received kickback to the tune of N3.6 million from the company he awarded the contract to.

However, the defendant, who had also served as a Minister of State for Defence, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was docked, even as the court remanded him in Kuje prison pending the decision on his bail application.

The Mambilla hydropower project, initiated in 2003, has been embroiled in legal disputes and allegations of corruption.

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

35 minutes ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

44 minutes ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”