Esther Salifu
EFCC Grants Tambuwal Bail Amid ₦189bn Fraud Allegations
Former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has been released on administrative bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his detention over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals totaling ₦189 billion during his tenure.
The EFCC detained Tambuwal on Monday after he honored an invitation to its Abuja headquarters. Sources within the commission indicated that the withdrawals, made from various state accounts between 2015 and 2023, are suspected to contravene the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“He has already been granted administrative bail. We’ve extracted what we need from him, and he will soon leave our headquarters after perfecting his bail conditions,” a senior EFCC official stated.
The EFCC has retained Tambuwal’s passport as part of the bail conditions. The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the release but declined to provide further details.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition figures have criticized the EFCC’s actions, alleging political bias and selective prosecution. ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated,
“It has become crystal clear that the EFCC is out on a hatchet job, a choreographed media trial targeted at bringing coalition leaders into disrepute.”
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede responded to these allegations, asserting that the commission operates without political interference. “There are no sacred cows,” he emphasized, urging the public to disregard politically motivated statements aimed at diverting attention from the commission’s mandate.
Investigations into the alleged ₦189 billion fraud are ongoing, with the EFCC expected to invite more witnesses in the coming days.
