EFCC arrests ex-lawmaker Gudaji Kazaure over ₦70m from Emefiele

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Gudaji Kazaure, a former House of Representatives member, over the receipt of ₦70 million from embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.

According to EFCC sources, Kazaure was picked up on Wednesday, May 7, in Kano, shortly after a High Court lifted a restraining order against his arrest.

The arrest is linked to two separate transactions allegedly facilitated by an emissary of Emefiele identified only as “Eric.”

The anti-graft agency claims ₦20 million was sent to Kazaure in two tranches as money for “Sallah rams,” while another ₦50 million was delivered as a “donation” following a fire incident at his residence.

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Kazaure, who represented Kazaure, Gwiwa, and Yan Kwashi federal constituencies in Jigawa State, is currently in EFCC custody in Kano and may be transferred to Abuja to face formal charges.

Background

The arrest comes as a dramatic twist in a saga that began in 2022, when Kazaure publicly accused Emefiele of embezzling ₦89 trillion in stamp duty collections.

He claimed to be the secretary of a presidential committee investigating the alleged fraud and insisted the committee had the authority to arrest suspects, including Emefiele.

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However, the Presidency swiftly debunked Kazaure’s claims. Presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu dismissed the committee as “unauthorised” and “dissolved,” further noting, “The entire assets of Nigeria’s banking sector do not total ₦50 trillion, let alone ₦89 trillion.”

With Kazaure now under investigation, the case marks a sharp reversal for a man who once positioned himself as a whistleblower in one of Nigeria’s biggest alleged corruption scandals.