EFCC Faces Backlash Over Partisan Allegations as Tambuwal’s Detention Sparks Uproar

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is trending after rejecting claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that it functions as a political arm of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate opposition leaders.

The uproar began when the EFCC invited former Sokoto State Governor and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, over allegations of “suspicious” withdrawals and diversion of ₦186 billion from the federal purse during his time in office. The alleged funds were reportedly drawn from three accounts — the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Government House Account, and the Secretary to the State Government Account — between 2015 and 2021.

Tambuwal arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, was interrogated for hours, and detained overnight before being released the next day.

Following his detention, the ADC accused the EFCC of acting like a political hit squad, noting that in the past week alone, several senior opposition figures have been summoned — not due to new evidence in old cases, but on fresh files opened since the coalition’s public criticism of the government.

In a lengthy rebuttal, the EFCC denied any partisan leanings, but many Nigerians online described its statement as biased and poorly crafted.

Public pressure is now mounting on the anti-graft agency to prove its neutrality by investigating high-profile APC leaders, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former governors Umar Ganduje and Yahaya Bello, and Minister Nyesom Wike.

The incident has reignited debate over whether Nigeria’s fight against corruption is genuinely impartial or merely a political weapon.