EFCC Debunks Reports, Says Matawalle Not Wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has distanced itself from viral reports alleging it declared former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, wanted.

A senior security source had confided to Sunday Tribune earlier that the EFCC requested the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest Matawalle wherever he is seen in the country.

Naija News recalls that just before the end of his tenure, Matawalle accused the now-suspended EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of demanding a $2 million bribe from him, a claim that the anti-corruption agency has denied.

Matawalle, who aired his accusation in a Hausa Service interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), criticized the EFCC for targeting governors while ignoring federal officials with significant budget allocations.

Reacting, a security official, who spoke to journalists, queried rhetorically the whereabouts of the former governor saying “Have you seen him anywhere lately?”

However, in an official statement made available on its Twitter handle on Sunday, the EFCC described the report that it was after Matawalle as incorrect.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report, entitled, Alleged N70b Fraud: EFCC Declares Ex-Zamfara Gov, Matawalle Wanted, which appeared in the Sunday Tribune of June 18, 2023, and purports that the Commission had declared a former Zamafara State governor, Bello Matawalle wanted and requested the Department of State Service, DSS, to arrest him, “anywhere he is seen”.

“Without prejudice to the case involving the former governor, the report is incorrect as the Commission has yet to declare Matawalle wanted or solicit the assistance of any Agency, including the DSS, to effect his arrest.

“The Commission has a standard procedure for declaring persons wanted and communicating the same to the public, not through faceless “security sources”.