Gurara II Power Grab: Reps Step In as Firm Battles FG Over Revoked Dam Rights

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By Linda Ike

The House of Representatives has begun probing a petition from Abuja Power Company Limited (APCL) against the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation over the contested Gurara II Hydropower Project in Niger State.

At a heated National Assembly hearing, APCL’s lead counsel, Oluwemi Okunbi accused federal officials of revoking their 2004 Certificate of Occupancy from Niger State to hand the multipurpose dam—spanning hydropower, irrigation, and hospitality to Chinese firm CGC Nigeria Limited.

Okunbi detailed two court wins restoring APCL’s title amid delays, urging the committee to void CGC’s alleged illegal PPP concession, offer APCL equal terms or fair compensation, and mandate open bidding if needed.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev defended awarding the 360MW project via selective procurement post-2010 assessments, claiming APCL surfaced late.

He called for court withdrawal to enable family-style settlement, warning litigation ties the ministry’s hands.

Lawmakers questioned due diligence, state roles, and court overlaps, vowing to scrutinize documents before next steps on this long-stalled national project promising power, 8,000 hectares of irrigation, fisheries, and tourism.