Alleged $6bn Mambilla Power Fraud: Agunloye Knew Sunrise Owner Before Becoming Minister, EFCC Witness Tells Court

The trial of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, over the alleged fraudulent award of the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project contract took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, as a prosecution witness told the court that the defendant admitted knowing the owner of the contracting firm prior to his ministerial appointment.
Testifying before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the Federal High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, the Third Prosecution Witness (PW3), Umar Hussein Babangida, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Agunloye acknowledged in his extra-judicial statement that he knew Leno Adesanya, owner of Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited, before becoming Minister of Power.
Agunloye is standing trial on an amended seven-count charge bordering on official corruption and the alleged fraudulent award of the Mambilla Power Project contract valued at $6 billion to Sunrise Power Transmission Company Limited.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Adeola Adedipe, SAN, the witness was asked whether the former minister knew Adesanya before his appointment. Babangida responded: “Yes, my lord, it is contained on the right side of Page 4, line 11 of the statement.”
Reading from the defendant’s extra-judicial statement dated May 16, 2023, and admitted as Exhibit 3O, the witness quoted Agunloye as stating:
“I have known Leno Adesanya or rather I know of him before I became minister. I have never met him before he came to the ministry in 2002 to push for the Mambilla project which started in 2000.”
When asked whether he had any personal relationship with the defendant, the witness clarified that his knowledge of Agunloye was strictly official, arising from his investigative duties.
Following the proceedings, Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter to March 11, 12, and 16, 2026, for continuation of hearing.