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Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has been released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after being detained for several hours.
The former governor of Sokoto State was invited by the anti-corruption agency on Monday, August 11, in connection with allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure.
According to sources within the EFCC, Tambuwal was granted administrative bail following his interrogation and is expected to leave the commission’s headquarters tonight after fulfilling all bail conditions.
The former governor arrived at the EFCC complex in Abuja around 11:30 a.m. and was subjected to intense questioning for hours as investigators sought to clarify his involvement in the alleged case.
The allegations against Senator Tambuwal concern a staggering ₦189 billion, which he is accused of fraudulently withdrawing in cash during his time as governor.
Sources inside the commission say that these massive cash withdrawals violate the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which explicitly prohibits large-scale cash transactions to combat illicit financial activities.
IREPORT247NEWS gathered that the EFCC’s investigation focuses on whether these alleged withdrawals were conducted illegally, potentially breaching Nigeria’s financial laws designed to promote transparency and accountability.
In response to the detention and ongoing investigation, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the EFCC’s actions, asserting that the arrest is politically motivated.
Atiku claimed, “The only reason the EFCC has detained the former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is because he is a member of the opposition coalition. This is part of the Tinubu administration’s agenda to harass, intimidate, and decimate the opposition.”
He further lamented the politicization of state institutions, saying, “We are witnessing a disturbing trend where state institutions are being used as tools of political bullying. The EFCC, which I worked tirelessly to establish during our administration to fight corruption objectively, is now being misused to serve partisan interests.”
The unfolding investigation continues to attract attention as Nigerians await further developments regarding the allegations against Senator Tambuwal and the EFCC’s handling of the case.