Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Muhammed Matawalle and Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa
Spread the love
As Zamfara State governor, Bello Muhammed Matawalle faces investigation in one of the biggest fraud allegation in his four year tenure by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti-graft agency has dismissed his allegation that the EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa demanded a bribe of $2 million from him.
Matawalle was quoted to have mentioned the bribery allegation against Bawa in an interview with BBC Hausa Service which the EFCC on Friday night said, it would not bandy words with a suspect who is undergoing investigation to the tune of N70 billion for pillaging the state resources.in an unconscionable manner.
In a statement by the EFCC’s Wilson Uwujaren on Friday, he said Matawalle’s resort to mudslinging the EFCC Executive Chairman was symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws, stressing that for the outgoing governor of Zamfara State to be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans – provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.
“The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a trending interview granted to the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, by Bello Muhammed Matawalle, governor of Zamfara State, where he allegedly made wild bribery allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.
“Matawalle’s recourse to mudslinging is symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws. But despite the irritation of his phantom claims, the Commission will not be drawn into a mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources of his state.
“If Matawalle will be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans – provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations,” Uwujaren stated.
He then put the public on notice of plans by some alleged politically exposed persons to flee Nigeria ahead of May 29.
Uwujaren, however, assured that the anti-corruption commission was working in collaboration with its international partners to frustrate such plans.
“Again, the Commission wishes to alert the public about plans by some of the alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of May 29.
“The Commission is working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice,” he assured.
EFCC had on Thursday informed that it was investigating Governor Matawalle for an alleged fraud to the tune of N70 billion, which the commission said was perpetuated through phantom contracts.
The governor had on Wednesday while making allegations of corrupt practices against EFCC and its chairman had dared the commission to go after President Muhammadu Buhari’s minister.
