The Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, has said that he was not arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but invited to answer some questions that needed clarifications.
A statement issued on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Abdullahi pointedly said that he only honoured an invitation by the anti-graft agency.
The statement which was signed by Abdulrasaq Danjuma, media aide to the DG of ECN, stated that the invitation was in line with due process and respect for constituted authorities.
The Energy Commission appealed to the public to avoid speculation, misinformation, sensational commentary, and the circulation of unverified claims that may distort facts, prejudice ongoing processes, or create unnecessary tension.
It would be recalled that the Director General of the ECN was taken in by the EFCC on Wednesday over alleged N500 billion money laundering scam which sources close to the anti-graft agency disclosed that Abdullahi was undergoing scrutiny over series of financial transactions linked to the Energy Commission as part of an ongoing probe into the alleged fraud.
It was gathered that investigators uncovered suspicious movements of funds running into hundreds of billions of naira which prompted the EFCC to intensify its probe into the activities of the Energy Commission and some top officials connected to the transactions.
The ECN urged the public to allow the relevant agencies to carry out their responsibilities to allow facts emerge through lawful, transparent, and due process.
It further said; “It is important to clarify that he was not arrested, but attended the engagement voluntarily as a responsible public servant committed to transparency and accountability.
“At this time, we respectfully urge supporters, associates, stakeholders, and members of the public to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding while the appropriate authorities carry out their constitutional responsibilities.
“It is also important to emphasise that the matters currently in the public domain remain allegations subject to investigation and due legal process,” it said.
The ECN statement said that in line with established principles of justice and fairness, every individual is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.
