EFCC Declares Abdullahi Bashir Haske Wanted
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared businessman Abdullahi Bashir Haske, founder of AA & R Investment Group and son-in-law to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, wanted over alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
In a notice signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC urged Nigerians with information about Haske’s whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or EFCC office nationwide.
The statement reads:
“The public is hereby notified that Abdullahi Bashir Haske, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering. Anybody with useful information should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja offices, or call 08093322644, email info@efcc.gov.ng, or report to the nearest Police Station.”
Escape Despite Passport Seizure
Sources told SaharaReporters that Haske had previously been questioned and detained by security agencies, with his passport confiscated to prevent him from fleeing.
However, he allegedly escaped using a different passport.
“The EFCC took one of his passports but he escaped with another,” a source disclosed.
The ₦5.7 Billion NNPCL Consultancy Scandal
At the heart of the controversy is an alleged ₦5.7 billion consultancy contract awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to Haske’s company, HASKE, under questionable circumstances.
Coalition Raises Alarm Over Fraudulent Deal
A civic group, the Coalition of Nigerian Patriots for Good Governance, condemned the deal as fraudulent, describing it as “a loot in broad daylight.”
In an open letter signed by Musa Abdullahi, the group accused NNPCL under its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, of awarding the multi-billion naira contract without public tender, competitive bidding, or compliance with procurement regulations.
The coalition questioned why a relatively unknown firm with “no verifiable track record in consultancy services” was handpicked for such a massive contract.
“HASKE has long been associated with opaque deals, political patronage, and backchannel contracts. This is not just a violation of public procurement laws; it is calculated looting of Nigeria’s oil wealth,” the group stated.
What ₦5.7 Billion Could Do Instead
The coalition highlighted the staggering opportunity cost of the controversial deal:
Build or equip 570 rural healthcare centres.
Fund scholarships for over 50,000 indigent Nigerian students.
Construct 114 kilometres of rural roads to boost agriculture and commerce.
Provide capital for 10,000 young entrepreneurs to reduce unemployment.
Instead, the group alleged, the funds were funneled into a “phantom consultancy deal” benefitting insiders and cronies.
Alleged Wasteful NNPCL Retreat in Kigali
Beyond the consultancy scandal, the coalition also accused NNPCL of reckless spending on a management retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, allegedly coordinated by Haske.
Reports revealed that five chartered private jets flew board members and executives to Kigali, where they booked the entire Kigali Marriott Hotel for a luxury retreat.
The move sparked outrage as it came just days after the Nigerian Senate raised concerns over NNPCL’s financial accounts.
Mounting Pressure on NNPCL and EFCC
With Haske now on the run and declared wanted, calls are intensifying for the EFCC to widen its investigation into the NNPCL scandal and hold top officials accountable.
The Coalition of Nigerian Patriots for Good Governance has already staged protests, demanding the sacking of NNPCL CEO Bayo Ojulari and full disclosure of how public funds were spent.
