metro

Mambilla: ICC Raises Questions Over $500,000 Payment to Atiku’s Former Wife

Published

2 weeks ago

September 19, 2026

Jennifer Douglas and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar

Mambilla: ICC Raises Questions Over $500,000 Payment to Atiku’s Former Wife

An International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal has raised questions over a $500,000 payment made to Jennifer Douglas, the then-wife of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, during the period when Sunrise Power and Transmission Company was pursuing the long-delayed Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.

The payment, made on January 30, 2003, has become a major political issue after details emerged from the ICC’s final award in the arbitration between Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The tribunal heard that Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power, transferred the money through his offshore company, China Castle Investments Limited, into a United States bank account belonging to Douglas.

Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku, who was Vice-President at the time.

However, the three-member tribunal found that Sunrise and Adesanya had not provided sufficient documentary or independent witness evidence to support that explanation.

According to the tribunal’s findings, Adesanya did not produce records showing the underlying naira payment, the exchange rate used, instructions from Atiku or his aides, correspondence relating to the transaction or documents establishing its commercial purpose.

The tribunal also noted that neither Atiku nor Douglas provided witness statements or declarations supporting Adesanya’s explanation.

The timing of the transaction was another issue examined by the tribunal.

The $500,000 transfer was made less than four months before Sunrise was purportedly awarded a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract for the Mambilla project by then Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, on May 22, 2003.

The tribunal described the circumstances surrounding the payment as raising “significant red flags”, given its timing and the parties involved.

READ ALSO:

However, the findings require an important distinction.

The ICC proceedings were an arbitration between Sunrise and the Federal Government, not a criminal trial of Atiku. The tribunal’s examination of the payment did not amount to a criminal conviction of the former Vice-President.

The tribunal also found no evidence in the arbitration record that Atiku had actually exercised his official duties in a manner that secured the Mambilla contract for Sunrise.

Atiku has rejected suggestions that the ICC tribunal found him guilty of corruption, challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC) to identify where the final award convicted him of receiving a $500,000 bribe, influencing the Mambilla contract or abusing his office.

Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the APC was presenting allegations examined during the arbitration as though they constituted a corruption verdict against him.

He also argued that he was not a party to the arbitration proceedings and did not testify before the tribunal.

The controversy intensified after the APC Presidential Campaign Council, through its spokesman Dele Alake, called on Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.

The campaign council accused the former Vice-President of compromising Nigeria’s interests over the Mambilla project and linked the $500,000 payment to the circumstances surrounding Sunrise’s pursuit of the contract.

The APC also alleged that Atiku and Agunloye worked together to facilitate the project despite objections to the proposed arrangement.

Those claims are political allegations by the APC and have been rejected by Atiku.

The ICC tribunal, meanwhile, examined the payment as part of a much broader dispute over the Mambilla project and the various transactions surrounding it.

The tribunal noted that Adesanya had been pursuing the Mambilla project for years and had interacted with senior Nigerian officials during the process.

Atiku’s role in the project also came under examination because he was Vice-President between 1999 and 2007 and was involved in government discussions concerning the proposed hydroelectric development.

The tribunal noted that Atiku led a Nigerian government delegation to Beijing in July 2002, with Adesanya among the participants.

During the visit, Nigeria and a Chinese state-owned company signed a memorandum of understanding relating to cooperation on major infrastructure projects, including the proposed Mambilla development.

The $500,000 transfer took place about six months later.

The tribunal also examined separate payments involving Agunloye.

According to the findings, three payments totalling about $15,000 were made between August and November 2019 to Agunloye through his aide, Jide Sotinrin.

The payments formed part of the wider corruption allegations examined in relation to the Mambilla dispute.

The project itself dates back to the early 2000s and has remained stalled for more than two decades.

Sunrise relied on a May 22, 2003 letter from Agunloye as evidence that it had been awarded a BOT contract to develop the project.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, however, disputed the validity of the arrangement and maintained that the Federal Government had not authorised the minister to commit Nigeria to the contract on the terms contained in the letter.

The dispute eventually moved into international arbitration.

Sunrise subsequently pursued billions of dollars in claims against Nigeria, arguing that the government had breached obligations associated with the Mambilla project.

In the latest ICC proceedings, the tribunal rejected Sunrise’s claims against Nigeria.

The company had sought $680 million in connection with a settlement dispute, while a separate arbitration connected with the project involved claims exceeding $2.7 billion.

The tribunal also ordered Sunrise and Adesanya to reimburse Nigeria for 75 per cent of its legal fees and expenses, reported at approximately $11.8 million.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed Nigeria’s victory, describing the ruling as removing a major legal obstacle that had hindered the Mambilla project for years.

The Presidency said the Federal Executive Council had never authorised the original 2003 contract and commended former President Obasanjo and the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who testified in the arbitration.

The tribunal’s ruling also dealt with a later $200 million settlement agreement between Nigeria and Sunrise and an addendum that introduced another $200 million default provision.

In separate findings, the tribunal concluded that the settlement arrangements were not binding on Nigeria because they lacked the required presidential approval. It also found the agreements to be products of corruption involving former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and Adesanya.

Those findings relate to the later settlement arrangements and are distinct from the tribunal’s examination of the 2003 $500,000 payment involving Atiku’s former wife.

The different strands of the ICC award have nevertheless become intertwined in the political debate over Atiku’s 2027 presidential bid.

The APC has focused on the $500,000 payment, its timing and the relationship between Adesanya and Atiku’s family, arguing that the circumstances require political accountability.

Atiku, on the other hand, has maintained that the tribunal did not find that he received a bribe or used his office to influence the award of the Mambilla contract.

The ICC’s findings show that the tribunal questioned the explanation for the $500,000 transfer because it lacked supporting documentation, while also stating that it found no evidence in the arbitration record that Atiku used his official duties to secure the contract for Sunrise.

The distinction is important because the arbitration was primarily a contractual dispute between Sunrise Power and Nigeria, with the payment examined as part of the evidence surrounding the contested Mambilla contract.

The controversy is now likely to remain part of the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly as Atiku, the ADC candidate, faces attacks from the ruling APC over his record in government.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s victory before the ICC has removed the immediate arbitration claims brought by Sunrise and its promoter over the disputed project.

The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, proposed as a major power-generation project in Taraba State, remains a significant component of Nigeria’s long-running plans to expand electricity generation.

Mambilla: ICC Raises Questions Over $500,000 Payment to Atiku’s Former Wife

Related Topics:Atiku Featured ICC Mambilla wife

Up Next

Abia: 3 Policemen Arrested Over Alleged Extortion of More Than 200 Victims

Don't Miss

Niger Miners’ Deaths: Families Demand Compensation, Justice for Victims

metro

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

Published

13 minutes ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Kamoru Omokoye

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.

A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.

Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.

Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.

READ ALSO:

While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.

At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.

Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.

The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.

Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.

The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.

Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.

Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three

metro

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

Published

33 minutes ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.

The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.

The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.

Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.

The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.

The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.

READ ALSO:

The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.

Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.

The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.

Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.

The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.

The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.

The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.

For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.

Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash

metro

Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial

Published

10 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari

Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce the duty roster of personnel deployed to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19, 2022—the day a cocaine consignment central to the Abba Kyari drug trial was intercepted. The ruling marks a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about airport security and inter-agency coordination in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Monday during the continuation of the trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four other suspended officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The defendants are facing charges of alleged tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and are standing trial on counts of conspiracy and obstruction in the illegal dealing and importation of the substance. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Julius Mba, counsel to Kyari and Inspector Simon Agirgba, told the court that the defence had filed a subpoena duces tecum—a legal order requiring a person or organisation to produce specific documents or evidence. The subpoena directs the NDLEA boss to present certified true copies of the duty roster for personnel deployed to the Enugu airport on the date in question. According to Mba, the document is essential to help the defence establish its case and demonstrate how the cocaine consignment allegedly passed through airport security.

READ ALSO:

The court session also addressed the absence of the defence’s second witness, John Nwonke, who was expected to continue his testimony. Nwonke, who had been subpoenaed to appear, was not in court. His lawyers presented a letter dated October 2 stating that he was ill and unable to attend. The development prompted a sharp exchange between the defence and prosecution.

NDLEA counsel Joseph Sunday strongly opposed the adjournment request, urging the court to foreclose Nwonke’s evidence. He argued that the defence had failed to comply with an earlier order directing the witness to appear on Monday. Sunday also questioned the medical letter, noting that it did not disclose the nature of the illness or the hospital where Nwonke was receiving treatment. He told the court the prosecution was “not aware of any subpoena,” adding: “We don’t conduct trial by ambush.”

In his ruling, Justice Nwite declined to foreclose the witness’s evidence immediately. While he observed that Nwonke’s letter was not convincing enough to justify the adjournment, he adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, in the interest of justice. The judge warned that failure of the witness to appear on that date would lead to the foreclosure of his testimony. He also directed counsel to the first to fifth defendants to submit the names of witnesses they intend to call before the next hearing.

The trial had resumed after an indefinite adjournment in May due to Justice Nwite’s shortlisting for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The defence has been calling witnesses in an effort to establish that NDLEA operatives facilitated the passage of convicted drug traffickers through airport security. In a video played in court in March, convicts Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne alleged that their photographs were sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport to ensure they were cleared without proper screening. The testimony forms part of the defence’s broader argument that the defendants were not the architects of the alleged obstruction.

Kyari and his co-defendants—Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu—remain at the centre of one of the most closely watched corruption and drug trafficking trials in Nigeria’s recent history. The case has sparked widespread debate about accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug crime.

The case was adjourned to October 7, 2026, for further defence proceedings.