EFCC arrests Jonathan’s Power Minister over alleged PHCN fraud

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a former Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil, in his residence in Abuja over financial mismanagement involving the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

According to the news outlet, PRNigeria, the former minister “will be arraigned in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Monday” over some alleged fraudulent payments involving the PHCN.

The anti-corruption agency had in 2018 arraigned Wakil, and four others at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri, Borno State, for another case of an alleged collection of $115 million from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to prosecute the 2015 general elections.

Wakil, a native of Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State and a law graduate from the University of Maiduguri, was the Minister of State for Power in Nigeria during Jonathan’s administration.

He was also a member of the National Assembly and vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

During former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s administrations from 1999 to 2003, Wakil was the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

However, the EFCC spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comment on the development as his mobile line was not reachable.