Nigerian tycoon Abdullahi Bashir Haske detained by law enforcement in corruption probe

Nigerian businessman Abdullahi Bashir Haske, owner of energy firm AA & R Investment Group, has reportedly been arrested and is currently being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, according to multiple sources within the anti-graft agency.

Haske, a politically connected entrepreneur with interests in oil and aviation, is being investigated for alleged money laundering, corruption and financial fraud tied to a web of private jet operations and questionable contracts linked to the Nigerian National Petroleum Co. Ltd., or NNPCL.

The EFCC probe reportedly centers around the suspected movement of large sums of money through shell companies, aviation operators and offshore accounts. Officials say the investigation has revealed private jet use and bulk cash transfers potentially used to launder illicit funds. Sources familiar with the case say financial trails are being traced back to contracts allegedly awarded through NNPC EnServe Ltd., a subsidiary operating under NNPCL’s Upstream Directorate.

Haske’s company, AA & R Investment Group, is a significant player in Nigeria’s energy sector and reportedly holds interests in OML 148, an onshore oil block in the Niger Delta. The firm has also been involved in aviation services, both directly and through affiliates.

The businessman’s connections are drawing attention. Haske is known to be a close associate of Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the Group CEO of NNPCL, and is married to a daughter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a leading figure in Nigeria’s opposition.

So far, neither Ojulari nor Atiku have been formally implicated or charged, but EFCC officials according to news reports say the investigation is expanding.

As of Thursday, the EFCC had not issued a formal public statement regarding Haske’s arrest. However, sources within the commission say an official update is expected in the coming days as investigators continue to analyze financial records and flight logs.