We don't trade words with suspect, EFCC replies Matawalle's $2m bribe claim

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it won't dignify the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, with any attention regarding his allegation that the commission's Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa demanded a $2m bribe from him.

This comes after Matawalle accused Bawa of being corrupt following the latter's decision to place the former under investigation over the alleged diversion of funds meant for the Zamfara State government.

The governor, while speaking during a BBC Hausa Service interview on Friday, May 19, 2023, accused the anti-graft agency boss of demanding the sum of $2m to compromise an investigation against him.

Reacting to the allegation, the Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Friday night, said the agency will not engage in a war of words with Matawalle whom it's currently being treated as a suspect.

He said, “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."

Pulse reports that the EFCC had earlier accused some governors of stashing away state resources for their personal use, and specifically figured out Matawalle for keeping millions of naira in his properties located in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Reiterating the accusation, the EFCC Spokesman also alerted the public about the plans of some politically exposed persons to flee the country before the May 29 handing-over.

He said, "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."