Alleged $2m Bribe Request: EFCC Chairman Capitulates, Says: “We Will Not Bandy Words With Suspect”

Abdulazeez Abdulwahab 

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  has described the allegation levelled by the outgoing governor of Zamfara State, Bello Muhammed Matawalle wherein he claimed the Commission Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa demanded a whopping $2 million bribe from him as “wild“.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Matawalle insisted that Bawa could not be trusted.

“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 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 the office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring pieces of evidence of the 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.”

But reacting to the allegation on Saturday, the anti-graft Commission via a statement said the outgoing governor’s outburst “is symptomatic of a drowning man clutching at straws”. 

EFCC’s Statement 

Matawalle’s $2m Bribe Hoax: EFCC Will Not Bandy Words with Suspect 

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.

Eighteen-Eleven Media