The Federal High Court sitting in Maiduguri on Monday ordered that Former Minister of State for Power, Hon. Mohammed Wakil and four other persons be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly laundering ₦450million.

The EFCC had instituted legal action against Wakil and the other accused persons namely  Garba Abacha Umar, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla before the Federal High Court on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering

Counsel to the EFCC, Halima Shehu told the presiding judge, Justice Muhammad Salihu that the case against the defendants was received by the Commission by way of intelligence report.

She alleged that the defendants had agreed among themselves to make and receive cash payments above the threshold approved for financial institutions, and after the conduct of investigations, facts incriminating enough to warrant prosecution were established against them.

Although the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Mohammed Salihu opposed the oral bail application filed by the defence counsel, Mohammed Umar and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody until July 3 when it would determine the motion for bail which was later filed by the defence. 

Wakil, who was a member of the House of Representatives and Vice Chairman, North East of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was appointed Minister of State for Power by former President, Goodluck Jonathan in March 2014.

He was also Majority Leader of the House of Representatives when Hon. Umar Ghali Na’Abba held sway as Speaker upon Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.