A civic group operating under the banner of the Zamfara Anti-Corruption and Security Watchdog has raised fresh concerns over what it described as the brazen misappropriation of public funds amounting to ₦250 billion during the tenure of former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
In a strongly worded statement, the group accused the former governor of presiding over an administration riddled with financial irregularities and ghost projects, many of which were cited in the official transition report submitted at the end of his tenure. According to the watchdog, numerous contracts awarded under Matawalle’s administration were either inflated, abandoned, or never executed, with no reasonable explanations provided.
The group is now calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence a full-scale investigation into the allegations, noting that the sheer scale of the financial discrepancies demands urgent attention from the anti-graft agency. They warned against what they termed “selective prosecution,” urging the EFCC to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves, irrespective of political affiliations or influence.
“This is not a matter for political calculations,” the group stated. “It is a matter of public accountability and justice for the people of Zamfara State whose collective wealth appears to have been squandered without remorse. The EFCC must resist the temptation of double standards and ensure that justice is served.”
While former Governor Matawalle has yet to publicly respond to the allegations, the call for investigation adds to mounting scrutiny over the financial legacy of his administration. With Nigeria’s anti-corruption war often accused of partisanship, this case may prove a crucial litmus test for the EFCC’s commitment to transparency and equitable justice.