The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced that it would take into account the new petition that was recently received regarding the alleged N70 billion corruption case involving Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence.
Wilson Uwajuren, the acting director of public affairs for the EFCC, made this statement last, Friday while speaking to demonstrators demanding the reopening of the ongoing case at the commission's Abuja offices. The demonstrators were organised by the APC Akida Forum.
The EFCC said on May 18, 2023, through Osita Nwajah, Director of Media and Publicity Affairs, that it was looking into allegations of corruption, awarding phantom contracts, and diverting more than N70 billion from the minister's account while he was governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.
Recall that in January, protesters from the Zamfara Alternative Forum demanded that the EFCC look into the former governor's financial dealings at their offices.
But Musa Mahmud, the Chairman of the APC Akida Forum, told the EFCC on Friday that the commission need to reopen and step up its investigation after he gave a copy of their plea to the agency.
According to him, the request was made amid mounting worries about corruption in Nigeria and the audacious actions the APC administration took against public servants who were alleged embezzlers, including former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello.
In response, Uwajuren stated that the anti-graft agency would review the new petition and take concrete actions based on it.
He commended members of the APC Akida Forum for this peaceful protest and gave them assurance that the EFCC does not close cases, saying once they open an investigation into a case, they do not close such a matter. So he assures everyone that this petition will be looked into.
