Yahaya Bello, Olu Agunloye, Hadi Sirika… seven politically exposed persons arraigned in 2024

The year 2024 was an eventful one for Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ramped up efforts to hold politically exposed persons accountable for alleged abuse of public trust.

High-profile cases involving former governors, ministers, and public officials dominated the headlines during the year, underscoring the scale of financial mismanagement and corruption within the political class.

OLU AGUNLOYE 

Olu Agunloye, former minister of power and steel, was arraigned by the EFCC on January 10.

Agunloye was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on fraudulent award of a contract and official corruption. 

EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye over a $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract.

The anti-graft agency said it traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd to Agunloye’s bank accounts.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also challenged Agunloye to tell Nigerians where he derived the authority to award a $6 billion contract to Sunrise for the Mambilla hydropower project in 2003.

Jude Onwuegbuzie, presiding judge, had ordered Agunloye’s remand in Kuje correctional centre pending hearing and ruling on the bail application.

On January 11, Onwuegbuzie granted N50 million bail to the defendant and ordered him to produce two sureties in like sum.

Agunloye had filed a preliminary objection dated February 6, challenging the powers of the EFCC to prosecute him.

Through Adeola Adedipe, his lawyer, the ex-minister said the offences levelled against him do not border on financial crimes.

However, the preliminary objection was dismissed by the court on May 15.

Two witnesses have so far been called by the prosecution with several documents tendered in evidence.

WILLIE OBIANO

Willie Obiano, former Anambra governor, pleaded not guilty to a nine-count charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency on January 24.

Obiano was placed on the watchlist of the EFCC over allegations of corruption after the completion of his tenure in 2022.

Days later, he was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and subsequently arraigned over alleged embezzlement and money laundering to the tune of N4 billion.

Obiano, who was governor between March 2014 and March 2022, allegedly diverted the money from the state’s security fund account in his last five years in office.

According to the EFCC, the funds were diverted through companies with no business relationship with the Anambra government, converted to dollars, and handed to the former governor.

The prosecution, led by Sylvanus Tahir, has called five witnesses. Hearing will continue on February 25, 2025.

SALEH MAMMAN

On July 11, 2024, the EFCC arraigned Saleh Mamman, a former minister of  power, before James Omotosho, judge of a federal high court in Abuja.

He was arraigned on a 12 -count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73.

Mamman was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 and was sacked in September 2021.

In May 2023, the former minister was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N22 billion fraud.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Mamman conspired with officials at the power ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” N33.8 billion, which was meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydroelectric power projects.

As of November 28, three witnesses had testified for the prosecution.

The case was adjourned to January 13, 2025. 

HADI SIRIKA

Hadi Sirika, former aviation minister, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on two separate charges.

On May 9, Sirika was arraigned alongside his daughter, Fatima, and her husband, Jalal Sule Hamma, as well as their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama.

The ex-minister was accused of abusing his office by awarding contracts to a company in which his daughter and husband retain interest.

The agency also accused Fatima, who works at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC); and her husband, Hamma, an employee of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC); of “indirectly holding private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at the Katsina Airport” for the sum of almost N1.5 billion.

Four witnesses have so far been called.

The former minister was also arraigned on May 23 alongside Abubakar Sirika, his brother; and Enginos Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Abubakar; on a 10-count amended charge.

Sirika is alleged to have abused his office by awarding contracts worth N19.4 billion to Enginos Nigeria Limited.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

ABDULFATAH AHMED

In December 2020, Abdulfatah Ahmed, former governor of Kwara, was at the EFCC office in Ilorin to clarify certain transactions and decisions he took as governor.

In May 2021, he was grilled at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja over allegations of fraud.

On February 2024, the former governor was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged mismanagement of N10 billion in public funds.

In October, the EFCC withdrew the charge and re-arraigned Ahmed on a fresh 14-count charge of alleged N5.78 billion fraud.

Ahmed was re-arraigned alongside Demola Banu, a former commissioner for finance, before Mahmood Abdulgafar, the presiding judge.

The former governor and his finance commissioner were accused of conspiring to steal money meant to pay salaries of teachers working with the Kwara SUBEB.

They were also accused of conspiring to divert money earmarked for the provision of security and infrastructure. 

The duo pleaded not guilty to their respective charges.

DARIUS ISHAKU

Darius Ishaku, former Taraba state governor, was arraigned on September 30 alongside Bello Yero, former permanent secretary, bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.

Both men are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them, and were later granted N150 million bail. 

Ishaku, 70, was governor of Taraba from 2015 to 2023.

In July 2023, the EFCC invited the former governor over some financial transactions conducted during his spell in office. He was later released on bail before his arraignment.

YAHAYA BELLO

Yahaya Bello’s arraignment was probably the most dramatic in 2024. 

The EFCC first filed a 19-count charge, bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion, against the ex-Kogi governor. 

Bello, who handpicked Usman Ododo as his successor, had been enjoying protection from the security agents attached to the state since the botched attempt by the EFCC to arrest him.

The former governor missed several court sessions, leaving the judge with no option but to issue a warrant of arrest against him.

The development was expected to end the saga, which saw Nigerian authorities issue a Red Notice to Interpol following Bello’s disappearance. 

Eventually, Bello turned himself in at the headquarters of the EFCC where he was eventually arrested on November 26.

On November 27, Bello was arraigned at the FCT high court on a 16-count charge, bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N110 billion. He was denied bail.

On December 13, the former governor was arraigned before a federal high court on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N80 billion.

He was granted N500 million bail.