The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has hit back at the governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, revealing that he is being investigated over alleged corruption bordering on diversion of N70 billion and award of fake contracts.
Only on Wednesday, Matawalle faulted the right of the chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to probe others when he was also alleged to be corrupt.
Matawalle said rather than probe others, the chairman of the anti-graft agency should surrender himself for probe as there were ample evidence against him.
But addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the Director, Media and Public Affairs, EFCC, Osita Nwajah, said it was not in the place of Matawalle to tell the commission who to probe and in what format.
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His words: “It is intriguing that Matawalle would want to take on the role of a supervisor, who tells the EFCC whom to investigate. Is this a case of a ‘thief’ saying he must not be touched until other ‘thieves’ are caught?
“Unfortunately, it is not within Matawalle’s remit to dictate to the EFCC whom to arrest, when, and where. Suspects in the custody of the Commission cut across all sectors and social class.
“The qualification to get a space in the Commission’s detention facility is to commit a crime. It does not matter whether you are a priest, Imam, governor or minister.
“Currently, a former minister of power is in the custody of the EFCC over a N22 billion corruption allegation. That conveniently did not attract Matawalle’s attention.”
Speaking on the alleged investigation of corruption bordering on N70 billion against Matawalle, Nwajah stated that the money in question was sourced as a loan from a bank for some projects in the state but allegedly diverted.
Said he: “But the real issue with Matawalle is that he is being investigated by the EFCC, over allegations of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion.
“The money which was sourced as a loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed.
“The Commission’s investigations so far reveal that more than 100 companies have received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state. Some of the contractors who had been invited and quizzed by the Commission made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States Dollars.
“They confirmed that they did not render any service to Zamafara State but were allegedly directed to convert the monies paid to them into United States Dollars and return to the state governor through some of his commissioners, notably the commissioners in charge of Finance and Local Government Affairs.”
