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May
May
APC YOUTH GROUP URGES EFCC TO REOPEN CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST DEFENSE MINISTER MATAWALLE
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CapitalTimesNews / 1 week
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A youth group under the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Young Leaders Alliance (APC-YLA), has besieged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja, demanding the reopening of the investigation into corruption allegations against the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. The group’s chairman, Muhammad Isah, presented a protest letter to the EFCC’s Director of Security, Idowu Adedeji, urging the commission to investigate the allegations to uphold its credibility and neutrality in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. Isah alleged that Matawalle embezzled billions of Naira and must account for over N290 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and N133 billion from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) he received as governor of Zamfara State between 2019 and 2023. “We are here today to formally request that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reopen the investigation into the corruption allegations against Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the State Minister for Defense,” Isah said. “Many petitions were submitted at the headquarters of the EFCC, notable ones submitted by the APC Akida Forum on May 3rd, 2024, and a follow-up petition on September 30th, 2024, urging the commission to proceed with its investigation.” Isah insisted that Matawalle must explain the N105 billion loan he took during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State, saying these were not mere allegations or speculations. The group also expressed disappointment that despite their previous visit to the EFCC headquarters, the investigation had not been reopened. The EFCC had previously investigated Matawalle over allegations of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts, and diversion of over N70 billion. According to the EFCC, the money was sourced as a loan from an old-generation bank for project execution across local government areas but was allegedly diverted through proxies and contractors who received payment for unexecuted contracts. In response to the protest, the EFCC’s Acting Director of Security, Idowu Adedeji, assured the group that necessary steps would be taken on the petition.