The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly rejected allegations by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, that the anti-graft agency is being used as a political tool to persecute him and officials of his administration.
In a sharply worded statement issued on Friday via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the EFCC described the governor’s claims as “wild, far-fetched and mischievous,” insisting that it remains a non-partisan and independent institution mandated solely to combat economic and financial crimes.
The governor had alleged that the Commission’s investigations into Bauchi State officials were politically motivated and influenced by opponents, particularly the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The EFCC dismissed the claim outright, stating that no political office holder has the power to influence its investigative or prosecutorial activities.
“It is derogatory to ascribe the Commission’s activities in Bauchi State to the influence of Mr. Wike,” the EFCC said, stressing that attempts to portray the agency as pliable or beholden to political interests were condemnable and misleading.
In a pointed rebuttal, the anti-graft agency reminded Nigerians that Governor Bala Mohammed himself was standing trial for money laundering at the time he was elected governor, and that the case was only halted due to the constitutional immunity attached to his office.
“If Bala Mohammed wants to be honest, he would have revealed to Nigerians that he was already facing trial when he won the governorship election,” the statement said. “Who influenced the Commission to investigate and charge him in 2016?”
The EFCC further stated that in the current Bauchi-related cases, the facts are already before the court, and that members of the public are free to examine the charges and judge whether they stem from vendetta or from painstaking investigations carried out in line with the law.
According to the Commission, Governor Mohammed’s name appears in some of the charges because he was the approving authority at the material time, not because of political persecution.
Reacting to claims that terrorism financing allegations were being weaponised, the EFCC said such arguments amounted to “crying wolf and clutching at straws,” emphasising that the agency did not create the laws under which suspects are charged.
“Where offences exist under extant laws, the EFCC will be failing in its duty if it chooses to look the other way,” the statement said.
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The Commission also took aim at what it described as selective outrage within Nigeria’s political class, accusing politicians of hypocrisy for raising the alarm only when members of their camp are investigated.
“It is the height of hypocrisy for opposition politicians to cry persecution when one of their own is called to account, while remaining silent when members of the ruling party face similar charges,” the EFCC noted, adding that it recently arraigned a senior figure within the ruling party without attracting accusations of bias.
In closing, the EFCC urged Governor Mohammed to focus on governance and allow the Commission to continue its work of sanitising Nigeria’s financial system.
“Public accountability should be the priority of politicians of all persuasions,” the agency said, reaffirming its commitment to enforcing the law without fear, favour or political consideration.
The statement comes amid heightened political tensions surrounding ongoing investigations and court cases involving senior officials in Bauchi State, further underscoring the delicate intersection between governance, accountability, and political rivalry in Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape.