EFCC Arrests Energy Commission DG Over Alleged N500bn Money Laundering Scam

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, over alleged money laundering offences involving an estimated N500 billion.

Sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed on Wednesday that Abdullahi was apprehended in Abuja during an ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion and laundering of public funds linked to the commission.

According to a senior official familiar with the development, the EFCC has already taken the Energy Commission boss into custody for questioning as investigators intensify efforts to unravel the scale of the alleged financial misconduct.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, said the probe centres on suspicious financial transactions and alleged misuse of government funds running into hundreds of billions of naira.

“We have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, in connection with ongoing investigations into money laundering allegations. He was arrested in Abuja and is currently in the custody of the commission,” the source revealed.

The official further disclosed that preliminary findings by investigators placed the amount involved at about N500 billion, making it one of the major corruption investigations currently being handled by the agency.

Although details of the alleged transactions were still sketchy as of Wednesday evening, investigators were said to be examining financial records, contract approvals, and several accounts believed to be linked to the alleged fraud.

Sources within the commission also hinted that the investigation may extend beyond the Director-General, as some officials and contractors connected to the agency are reportedly being scrutinised over their possible roles in the alleged diversion of funds.

The EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the arrest, while efforts to get a reaction from Abdullahi or officials of the Energy Commission of Nigeria were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

The development has, however, sparked fresh concerns over accountability and transparency in the management of public funds within government agencies, especially amid growing calls for stricter anti-corruption measures in the country.

The Energy Commission of Nigeria is the federal agency responsible for strategic energy planning, policy coordination, and the promotion of renewable and sustainable energy development across the country.