Soyinka raises concern over Agunloye’s safety in custody

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has voiced concerns about the safety of former Minister of Power and Steel, Mr. Olu Agunloye, who was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to corruption charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Soyinka, in a statement, raised an alarm, suggesting that there might be forces working to subject Agunloye to a fate similar to the late former Minister of Justice, Bola Ige, who was assassinated in 2001.

Soyinka expressed a justifiable, high-level concern for Agunloye's safety, recalling the unresolved assassination of Bola Ige and the urgent need for thorough investigation. He emphasized that it would be unpardonable complacency to assume there are no desperate forces willing to cause harm to Agunloye, especially given the abrupt decision to remand him in prison.

Soyinka called for an independent, non-partisan commission to publicly investigate the long-standing Mambilla power project scandal, which has adversely affected Nigeria's energy needs. He warned that if anything were to happen to Agunloye while in custody, the implications would be loud, clear, and unambiguous.

Agunloye, who served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2003, was declared wanted by the EFCC in December 2023 over allegations related to forgery and corruption linked to the Mambilla project. The accusations include fraudulently awarding the Mambilla contract without the Federal Executive Council's approval. Obasanjo accused Agunloye of these actions, but the former minister denied the claims.