EFCC vows to reopen corruption allegations against ex-gov Matawalle

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Monday its plan to reopen investigations into the allegations of funds embezzlement against former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, now the Minister of State for Defence.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, confirmed this during an address to protesters who gathered at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, demanding a thorough probe into Matawalle’s financial activities while serving as governor.

The protesters, led by the APC Akida Forum, called on the EFCC to intensify its efforts and investigate the alleged misappropriation of funds during Matawalle’s tenure.

Mr Oyewale assured the protesters that their demands would be relayed to the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, adding that “the EFCC will do everything within its power to investigate every act of economic and financial crime.”

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The protesters, under the aegis of the APC Akida Forum, had gathered at the EFCC headquarters to lodge a petition, urging the commission to proceed with its investigation of Mr Matawalle.

Speaking on behalf of the group at the EFCC headquarters, Musa Mahmud noted that they had confidence in the anti-graft agency especially with the doggedness it demonstrated in its investigation of the alleged corruption cases involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

He also recalled last week’s arrest of former Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State over alleged corruption, while questioning the inaction of the anti-graft on Mr Matawalle’s case.

Mahmud said, “We are confident that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has access to all the facts regarding financial crimes in the country. Nevertheless, we believe it is necessary to determine the total funds that the Zamfara State Government received between 2019 and 2023 under Bello Matawalle.

“We are making these efforts because, to our dismay, the former governor appeared on a live TV program, misleading the public by stating that he did not receive anything close to N70 billion during his four-year tenure as governor of Zamfara State.

“We urge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate this matter in order to uphold its credibility and neutrality in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.”

The alleged corruption case involving Mr Matawalle, who was the Zamfara State governor between May 2019 and May 2023, is not new to EFCC.

In May 2023, less than two weeks before the end of Mr Matawalle’s tenure as governor, EFCC announced that it was investigating him over alleged diversion of N70 billion from the Zamfara State Government’s treasury.

EFCC’s then-Director of Public Affairs, Osita Nwaja, made the announcement at a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said “the real issue with Matawalle is that he is being investigated by the EFCC, over allegations of corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion.”

The disclosure came less than 24 hours after Mr Matawalle asked the then-EFCC chair, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to step down and allow the anti-graft agency to beam its searchlight on Nigeria’s presidency officials and outgoing ministers.

After the public spat between him and the EFCC, and with Mr Matawalle later emerging a minister in the cabinet of the new administration of President Bola Tinubu, the matter went totally cold.

However, Mr Bello’s successor, Governor Dauda Lawal, recently thrusted the matter to public attention, accusing him of sponsoring bandits terrorising the state and a series of corruption. Mr Matawalle has denied the allegations.