EFCC insists on prosecuting Matawalle over alleged N70bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vowed to proceed the alleged N70 cardinal corruption lawsuit against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle portion helium was the Governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.

EFCC Acting Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajuren made the pledge portion addressing protesters nether the aegis of APC Akida Forum who staged a protestation astatine the Commission’s office successful Abuja connected Friday, calling for the reopening of the pending case.

The erstwhile politician was initially nether probe by the anti-corruption bureau during the tenure of Abdulrasheed Bawa implicit the alleged pocketing of N70 cardinal from the Zamfara State authorities coffers.

The EFCC said the politician allegedly siphoned Zamfara’s funds sourced arsenic a indebtedness from an old-generation slope purportedly for the execution of projects successful section governments successful the state.

The anti-graft committee said the politician utilized proxies who posed arsenic contractors for the projects and got paid but did not execute the projects.

Matawalle past accused the EFCC of targeting lone governors portion ignoring officials with budgetary allocation astatine the national level.

Also, during the week, Elder stateman, Chief Edwin Clark, asked the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, to revisit high-profile corruption cases involving ex-governors and politicians.

Clark urged Olukoyede to prosecute them to a conclusion.

Uwajuren told the protesters that EFCC does not adjacent cases erstwhile it opens an investigation, noting that the Commission continues and assured them that their request volition beryllium looked into.

“I privation to commend members of the APC Akida Forum for this peaceful protest. It is wrong your rights to protest. The Constitution guarantees the close of escaped look and you person done that today.

“I privation to guarantee you each that EFCC does not adjacent cases. Once we unfastened probe into a lawsuit we volition not adjacent specified matter. So I guarantee you that this petition volition beryllium looked into. Thank you precise much,” helium said.

Presenting a transcript of their petition to EFCC, Chairman of the group, Musa Mahmud requested the Commission to reopen the probe into the corruption allegations against Matawalle, the State Minister for Defence.

Mahmud said this telephone comes amidst increasing concerns astir corruption successful Nigeria and the bold steps taken by the APC medication successful caller decisions regarding authorities officials suspected of embezzlement, including erstwhile Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, among others.

He said: “Recall that connected the May 18 2023, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), done its past Director, Media and Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah Nwajah, said that the EFCC is investigating Matawalle implicit allegations of monumental corruption, grant of phantom contracts and diversion of implicit N70 billion.

“According to the EFCC, the money, which was sourced arsenic a indebtedness from an old-generation bank, purportedly for the execution of projects crossed the section authorities areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the politician done proxies and contractors who received outgo for contracts that were not executed.

“The Commission’s investigations revealed that implicit 100 companies had received payments from the funds, with nary grounds of work rendered to the state. Some of the contractors who had been invited and quizzed by the Commission made startling revelations connected however the politician allegedly compelled them to instrumentality the funds received from the authorities coffers backmost to him done his aides aft converting the aforesaid to United States Dollars (hard currency).

“The companies confirmed that they did not render immoderate work to Zamfara State. Still, they were allegedly directed to person the monies paid to them into United States Dollars (hard currency) and instrumentality them to the authorities politician done immoderate of his commissioners, notably those successful complaint of Finance and Local Government Affairs.”

Mahmud further urged the EFCC to analyse the $2.1 cardinal arms deal, which included Matawalle among the dishonorable Nigerians and companies that benefited from the erstwhile National Security Adviser’s NSA’s scandal.

“The APC AKIDA Forum is appealing to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to proceed investigating Bello Mohammed Matawalle’s alleged mismanagement of nationalist funds during his tenure arsenic Governor of Zamfara State and his engagement successful the celebrated arms woody scandal.

“As enactment loyalists, we privation the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to analyse the substance and bring justness to those liable for the mismanagement of nationalist funds. This volition service arsenic a deterrent to others considering engaging successful corrupt practices successful nationalist office, particularly considering what happened to the humanitarian minister.

“The APC Akida Forum, arsenic a governmental unit group, commends the Federal Government for making bold decisions against corruption.”