The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, over an alleged N500 billion money laundering investigation.
Abdullahi was reportedly taken into custody on Wednesday following his arrest by operatives of the anti-graft agency, as investigators continue to probe transactions linked to funds estimated at half a trillion naira.
A source within the commission said the suspect was questioned for several hours on Wednesday and remained in custody as the investigation entered a fresh stage. According to the source, the case centres on alleged financial transactions currently being scrutinised by the commission.
The official, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the investigation involves alleged money laundering offences and that interrogations would continue as more details emerge.
The commission had not issued an official public statement at the time of the report, while efforts to reach its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were said to be unsuccessful.
Bola Tinubu appointed Abdullahi as Director-General of the Energy Commission on October 24, 2023, placing him in charge of the federal agency responsible for coordinating national energy policy, planning and research.
The reported detention adds to a string of recent high-profile anti-corruption cases involving public officials, as the EFCC continues investigations into alleged financial misconduct across several government institutions.
If confirmed officially, the case could become one of the largest fraud investigations currently involving a serving head of a federal agency in Nigeria, given the scale of the amount being investigated.
