APC group storms EFCC headquarters, demand Matawalle’s probe

A group of the ruling All Progressives Congress under the aegis of the Young Leaders Alliance, YLA, on Friday stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja, demanding immediate reopening of investigations into alleged corruption involving Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence.

Describing itself as a socio-political pressure organisation based in Kaduna, the group accused the EFCC of going silent on the case despite multiple petitions and earlier commitments to investigate the former Zamfara governor.

The group, in a letter submitted during the protest, questioned why the anti-graft agency has not taken action against Matawalle despite alleged financial misconduct from 2019 to 2023.

“We write to formally request that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reopen the investigation into allegations of corruption against Bello Mohammed Matawalle, Minister of State for defence,” the group said.

It accused Matawalle of misleading the public when he claimed during a recent live television appearance that his administration did not receive anything close to N70 billion throughout its four-year duration.

According to the group, official records and financial statements from the period directly contradict the minister’s public claim.

Speaking with newsmen, the spokesperson of the group, Mohammed Ireyi, said the EFCC’s selective silence on the case raises questions about neutrality in the agency’s operations.

“If former governors and ministers like Betta Edu, Yahaya Bello and Darius Ishaku have been investigated or arrested, why is Matawalle being shielded? Who is stopping the EFCC from doing its job,” he asked.

The group also referenced a May 2023 statement by the EFCC’s then spokesperson, Osita Nwajah, who confirmed that the commission was probing Matawalle over “monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion”.

It, therefore, urged the commission to resume the probe to “uphold its credibility and neutrality in the fight against corruption in Nigeria”.