The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released former Sokoto State Governor and current Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a day after detaining him over allegations of fraudulent cash withdrawals totalling ₦189 billion.
Tambuwal, who also served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, was reportedly detained on Monday, August 11, 2025, after voluntarily appearing at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for questioning. According to investigators, the alleged transactions violated the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
A source confirmed to Above Whispers that the senator was freed on Tuesday, August 12, after spending the night in EFCC custody. The anti-graft agency is yet to release an official statement on the case.
Political Reactions
The detention has sparked strong political reactions. Former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, condemned the move, describing it as part of a wider plan by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to intimidate and weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku accused the government of “weaponising” anti-corruption agencies to pressure opposition figures into defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that corruption allegations often disappear once such figures join the party.
“This is a continuation of the Tinubu-led administration’s agenda to harass, intimidate, and decimate the opposition,” Atiku said, urging Nigerians, civil society groups, and the international community to reject the politicisation of the anti-corruption fight.
Background to the Allegations
The ₦189 billion fraud allegations date back to Tambuwal’s tenure as Sokoto governor between 2015 and 2023. A leaked EFCC intelligence report from 2021 alleged that funds were diverted through accounts belonging to top state officials, including the Accountant General, the Secretary to the State Government, and the Permanent Secretary at the Government House.
The report claimed that between January 2015 and August 2021, these accounts received inflows exceeding ₦567 billion, with over ₦189 billion allegedly diverted to private individuals.
While Tambuwal has not publicly commented since his release, the EFCC investigation is said to be ongoing.
This case adds to a growing list of high-profile corruption probes involving prominent political figures, underscoring concerns about both financial accountability and the politicisation of Nigeria’s anti-graft institutions.