NORTHERN FORUM CALLS ON EFCC TO INVESTIGATE THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF ZAMFARA STATE, BELLO MATAWALE 05-05-25
By Sadiq Aminu A concerned northern forum on accountability and good governance has renewed it’s call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC to reopen investigation into the alleged embezzlement of billions of naira instituted against the former Governor of Zamfara State,Alh Bello Matawale before the 2023 general election.
Addressing a news conference today in kaduna, the convener of the concerned northern forum, Alh Aliyu Muhammad Sani expressed dissatisfaction over the inability of the EFCC to conclude on it’s investigation and bring the former Governor to justice, pointing out that if the commission could probe former Governor yahaya Bello then Bello Matawale should not be spared over his alleged financial recklessness while serving as Governor of Zamfara State.
According to the concerned northern forum,Bello Matawale needs to account for the over 290 billion naira federal allocation with another 133 billion naira been from the state joint account allocation committee he received from 2019 to 2023 as the Governor of Zamfara State.
The forum maintained that on the 18th may, 2023 the commission had through it’s former spokesperson,Osita Nwajah confirmed that investigation by the EFCC revealed that over 100 companies had received payments from the funds but with no evidence of service delivery to Zamfara State.
Alh Aliyu Muhammad Sani however, urged the EFCC to reopen investigation into the matter with a view to upholding it’s credibility and neutrality in the current fight against corruption in the country, stressing that the former Governor who’ is a serving minister of state for Defence should be made to account for the funds received between 2019 to 2023 under his watch as Governor of Zamfara State.