EFCC Detains Tambuwal Over Suspicious Withdrawal of N189b

EFCC Detains Tambuwal Over Suspicious Withdrawal of N189b

Senator Waziri Aminu Tambuwal, the former governor of Sokoto State, has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of suspicious withdrawal of N189 billion from the state government's account during his tenure. The withdrawal, which was carried out incrementally over a period of six years, is said to be in flagrant violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

According to EFCC sources, the withdrawals were made from three accounts: the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Government House Account, and the Secretary to the State Government Account. The anti-graft agency has isolated all the allegations against Tambuwal and is currently interrogating him. Five other suspects, including cashiers and government officials, may testify against the former governor or stand trial with him.

The EFCC's investigation, which began in 2021, revealed that the accounts received a total cumulative inflow of N567,160,024,619.93, out of which N189,155,043,825.09 was illegally diverted. The agency's fact sheet states that the withdrawals were made in favour of government officials, individuals suspected to be cashiers, companies, and other groups/agencies.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Tambuwal's current party, has kicked against the move, describing it as a witch-hunt. The party's Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that the EFCC's recent pattern of re-opening closed cases and targeting members of opposition parties suggests that it is not an anti-graft body, but a political enforcer.

Abdullahi argued that the EFCC's actions could erode public trust in the institution and undermine the anti-corruption fight. He cited instances where investigations into ruling party allies quietly fade away, while opposition figures are dragged before the court of public opinion with decade-old allegations that have been hastily revived and dressed up as fresh evidence.

The ADC has called on all Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the independent media to resist the EFCC's perceived slide into dictatorship and misuse of public institutions to achieve partisan objectives. The party reiterated that the EFCC belongs to the Nigerian people, not the ruling party, and should be funded by taxpayers, not the ruling party.

As the EFCC continues its investigation into the allegations against Tambuwal, many are watching with keen interest to see how the agency will handle the case. Will it be a thorough and impartial investigation, or will it be perceived as a political witch-hunt? Only time will tell.