Former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has been released from Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting the bail conditions set by the FCT high court in Apo. Adamu Duza, spokesperson for the FCT command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, confirmed the release on Saturday, stating that Agunloye left the facility around 5 pm on Friday.
Agunloye faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract. The EFCC alleged suspicious payments from Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd to Agunloye's bank accounts.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had challenged Agunloye to explain the authority behind awarding the $6 billion contract to Sunrise for the Mambilla hydropower project in 2003.
The former minister faced seven-count charges, including fraudulent contract awards and official corruption. Initially remanded pending a bail application ruling, the FCT high court later granted Agunloye N50 million bail with stringent conditions, requiring two reputable sureties with properties worth N300 million each and a verifiable Certificate of Occupancy within the FCT.
The release marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the Mambilla saga, raising questions about the future of the case and the broader implications for those involved.
