EFCC Frees Tambuwal on Bail After ₦189bn Fraud Probe Sparks Political Firestorm

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released former Sokoto State Governor and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on administrative bail less than 24 hours after his arrest in connection with an alleged fraudulent withdrawal totaling ₦189 billion. Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, was honored with an EFCC invitation on Monday and interrogated for about 11 hours over transactions that allegedly contravened the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act of 2022.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain met the bail conditions and was released on Tuesday afternoon. The arrest sparked a political firestorm, with opposition leaders accusing the government of weaponizing the EFCC to silence dissent.

Former Vice President and PDP 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar described the arrest as politically motivated and part of a broader agenda to harass and intimidate opposition members. The Sokoto PDP also alleged a.