EFCC asked to reopen N70bn corruption case involving Matawalle

Hordes of protesters on Friday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reopen a corruption case it previously initiated against minister of (state), Bello Matawalle.

Matawalle had served two terms as governor of Zamfara State, prior to his current job.

While he was governor, the EFCC alleged he stole N70billion in public funds. The accusation led to brickbats between Matawalle and then chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Matawalle, at the time, alleged that Bawa demanded a bribe of $2million (Two million dollars). He also accused Bawa of ignoring corrupt persons at the federal level while hounding governors only.

“He requested a bribe of two million dollars from me and I have evidence of this. He knows the house we met, he invited me and told me the conditions. He told me governors were going to his office but I did not. If I don’t have evidence, I won’t say this,” the governor said at the time.

In its response, EFCC’s spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren denied the allegation and dared Matawalle to present the evidence he claimed to have against Bawa at the time.

The incumbent administration would later accuse Bawa of corruption. The authorities detained Bawa and subsequently sacked him as the head of the anti-corruption agency

Details to follow …