A former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye on Monday in Abuja asked the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to prohibit the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from prosecuting him in the alleged $6B fraud.

Agunloye who was put on trial by the anti-corruption agency on the alleged $6bn Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station fraud is claiming that EFCC lacked power to proceed with the trial.
He predicated his opposition to trial by EFCC on various grounds in his motion on notice for preliminary objections.

Galaxy tv news reports that in the objection notice filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Adeola Adedipe on his behalf, Agunloye insisted that the EFCC lacked both investigative and prosecutorial powers under Sections 6, 7 & 46 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004.

He also said the alleged offences in the Charge were on his activities as a public officer where he was alleged to have awarded the contract without budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.

The former Minister further said that the charges bothered on an alleged disobedience of the directives of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and forgery of a letter dated May 22, 2003
At the Monday's proceedings, the former Minister through his counsel sought to move the motion for preliminary objections.
The move was however opposed by EFCC on the ground that the motion was not yet ripe for hearing.
The claim of EFCC prompted Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie to shift hearing in the preliminary objections to February 26, 2024.

Agunloye was arraigned on seven charges bordering on fraudulent award of a contract and official corruption in January 2024.

The EFCC alleged that on May 22, 2003, Agunloye awarded a contract, titled “Construction of 3,960mw Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on a Build, Operate and Transfer Basis” to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval, and cash backing.