The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has fired back at Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, describing his recent allegations of political victimisation as “wild,” “far-fetched,” and “mischievous.”
In a strongly-worded statement, the anti-graft agency dismissed claims by the Governor that he and his aides are being persecuted at the behest of political opponents, specifically naming the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The Commission maintained that it remains an independent agency dedicated to fighting economic crimes without “affection or ill will.” It condemned the Governor’s attempt to portray the EFCC as a “pliable agency” that panders to the interests of powerful politicians, calling such assertions derogatory.
The agency further clarified that no political office holder, including Mr Wike, is in a position to influence its investigative activities. The EFCC asserted that it discharges its mandate strictly according to the law and without partisan bias.
The EFCC challenged Governor Mohammed’s narrative by pointing to his legal history. The agency noted that the Governor was already standing trial for money laundering at the time of his election. This case is currently in abeyance only due to the constitutional immunity from prosecution that his current office attracts.
The Commission pointedly asked who influenced the agency to investigate and charge him back in 2016, suggesting that his legal troubles long predate current political rivalries.
Regarding the current investigation into Bauchi State officials, the EFCC stated that the facts are already before the court. The Commission encouraged the public to access the charges and decide for themselves whether the case is a product of vendetta or painstaking investigation. It also noted that Mohammed is mentioned in the charges as the approving authority in Bauchi State.
On the issue of terrorism financing, the EFCC dismissed the Governor’s complaints as “clutching at straws,” maintaining that it did not invent the law and is duty-bound to prosecute offences punishable under extant statutes.
The agency further criticised what it described as the “height of hypocrisy” among politicians who scream persecution when an opposition figure is called to account but remain silent when a member of the ruling party faces the same ordeal.
To demonstrate its neutrality, the EFCC cited the recent arraignment of a high-ranking member of the ruling party, noting that no claims of persecution were heard in that instance.
The Commission concluded by advising Governor Mohammed to focus on the governance of Bauchi State while allowing the EFCC to fulfil its mandate of cleaning the nation’s financial space.
