*Mustapha Abdullahi
The Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, says he was not arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and attended its invitation voluntarily.
In a statement on Wednesday, Abdullahi said he honoured the EFCC’s invitation in line with due process and as a responsible public servant committed to transparency and accountability.
His media aide, Abdulrasaq Danjuma, said the visit followed standard procedure and urged the public to avoid speculation and unverified claims that could distort facts or prejudice the process.
“It is important to clarify that he was not arrested, but attended the engagement voluntarily,” the statement read. “At this time, we respectfully urge supporters, associates, stakeholders, and members of the public to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while the appropriate authorities carry out their constitutional responsibilities.”
Abdullahi said the matters in the public domain remain allegations subject to investigation and due legal process, adding that every individual is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise by a court.
Yesterday, operatives of the EFCC arrested Abdullahi over alleged money laundering offences.
A source within the anti-graft agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed on Wednesday that Abdullahi was arrested in Abuja and is currently in the custody of the commission.
According to the source, the alleged fraud involves funds estimated at N500bn.
“We have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, for money laundering offences. He was arrested and is currently in our custody. The money is to the tune of N500bn,” the official said.
Efforts to get confirmation from the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
President Bola Tinubu had on October 24, 2023 appointed Abdullahi as Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria.
