The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was in the spotlight again on Friday as it received a fresh petition targeting the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. The petition was brought to the agency’s Abuja headquarters by a group of concerned youths under the banner of the APC Young Leaders Alliance.
The group’s convener, Mohammed Ireji, led the protest and formally submitted the petition, calling on the EFCC to resume investigations into alleged corruption involving Matawalle during his tenure as Zamfara State governor. According to Ireji, this isn’t the first time the EFCC has received petitions about Matawalle — previous ones were filed on May 3 and September 30, 2024, by the APC Akida Forum.
Addressing the press, Ireji expressed frustration over what he described as the EFCC’s sluggish response to the case. He questioned why Matawalle, who is no longer a sitting governor, appears to be untouched while others have faced swift action.
“We’ve seen how the EFCC promptly moved on people like former minister Betta Edu and ex-governors like Yahaya Bello and Darius Ishaku,” Ireji said. “It’s clear that no one is above the law — so why the silence when it comes to Bello Matawalle?”
He emphasized that the EFCC has always been praised for its resilience and non-biased approach in fighting corruption and urged the commission not to allow political interference to derail its duties.
The group made it clear that their demand isn’t politically motivated but rooted in the belief that public office holders must be held accountable. “We believe the EFCC has the facts; all we want is for them to act,” Ireji added.
In response, the EFCC’s Acting Director of Security, Idowu Adedeji, accepted the petition and assured the group that the matter would be forwarded to the appropriate department.
“We’ve received your petition. Be assured it will be handled accordingly,” Adedeji said, thanking the group for their civic engagement.
The ball is now in the EFCC’s court, and many are watching to see what comes next.
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