EFCC arrests ex-power minister, Mohammed Wakil, over ‘dubious payments’ at defunct PHCN

NEWS DIGEST – The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a former minister of state for power, Mohammed Wakil, at his residence in Abuja.

An EFCC source told PRNigeria that the former Minister was arrested over some dubious payments involving the defunct Power Holding Company Limited, PHCN.

According to the source, Mr Wakili will be arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Monday.

Recall that the anti-graft agency had in 2018 arraigned Mr 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 influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

Born on February 6, 1965, in Damboa Local Government of Borno State and a law graduate from the University of Maiduguri, Mohammed Wakil was the Minister of State for Power in Nigeria during Jonathan’s administration.

He was also a member of the National Assembly, vice chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (North East), and lawyer.

During the Obasanjo/Atiku first democratic term (Nigeria’s Fourth Republic) from 1999 to 2003, Mr Wakil was the majority leader in the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.