Nigerian music star D’Banj has said that the allegations of corruption against him were false has he had no business doing fraudulent activities.
According to his lawyer, he was released from the custody of the Nigeria anti-corruption agency on grounds of self recognition.
He was arrested earlier this week on allegations of fraud after millions of dollars meant to help unemployed youths start businesses was reported missing.
“I have assisted the commission with all I know”, D’Banj said on Instagram.
“I am confident in their capacity to unravel the truth,” he continued.
While the agency’s spokesperson has said investigations are ongoing, the artist – whose real name is Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo – has claimed to be the brand ambassador for the youth business scheme.
However, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, which oversees the N-Power scheme, said it had no official engagement with the artist and that his claim to be an ambassador for the scheme was misleading.
N-Power was launched in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
But many beneficiaries have complained for months that they were not receiving their grants.
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency said in a statement on Wednesday that “billions of naira” had been diverted.
Ten other people, as well as D’banj, are being investigated, the agency previously said.
D’banj’s lawyer said it was an “embarrassment to the entire country that such a huge allegation [was made] against a public figure without any evidence”.
