Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been accused by Bello Matawalle, the Governor of Zamfara State, of seeking a $2 million bribe.
This assertion is made in the midst of escalating tension between the governor and the anti-corruption agency.
According to prior reports, Governor Matawalle demanded Bawa’s resignation in a statement issued on Wednesday and said that the EFCC Chairman need to be investigated for suspicions of corruption.
Bawa, however, refuted these claims, asserting that he has nothing to hide and urging the governor to approach the proper authorities if he has any evidence that may be used against him.
Meanwhile, Matawalle, in a BBC Hausa interview, voiced his distrust of Bawa and questioned the EFCC’s selective scrutiny, saying, “It is not just to always blame governors. It is not only governors who have treasury, the federal government also has. What does the EFCC boss do to them? As he is claiming he has evidence on governors, let him show to the world evidence of those at the federal level.
“If he exits office, people will surely know he is not an honest person. I have evidence against him. Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidences of bribe he collected from them. He knows what he requested from me but I declined.
“He requested a bribe of $2 million 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.”
What EFCC Has To Say On Bawa Demanding $2 Million Bribe From Gov Matawalle
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has decided not to argue with Bello Matawalle, the governor of the Zamfara State.
This reaction comes in response to the governor’s recent allegations of Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the EFCC, accepting bribes.
In response to these allegations, Wilson Uwujaren, a spokesperson for the EFCC, compared the governor’s actions to those of a desperate man grasping at straws.
He insisted that the EFCC would avoid getting into an argument with someone who was being probed into for corruption.
In addition, the spokesperson urged Matawalle to provide proof rather than only assertions to back up his claims.
He ended by alerting the public about potential escape plans by politically exposed persons accused of corruption as May 29 approaches, assuring that the EFCC is closely collaborating with international partners to prevent such escapes and bring those involved to justice.
Uwujaren 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.
“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.”
Ada Peter
