EFCC: Bala Mohammed a ‘Hypocrite Crying foul’ Over ‘Terrorism Financing’ Allegation

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked allegations of persecution and  witch hunt levelled against the it by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, describing the outburst of the governor as “wild” and “far-fetched.”

The Bauchi State governor in a press conference in Bauchi had accused the EFCC of being a political tool used by President Bola Tinubu administration to persecute opposition voices. Governor Mohammed alleged that, despite his “immunity” as a seating governor, the All Progressive Congress (APC) government was hounding him around by arresting and charging his commissioner for finance for terrorism financing just to get at him.

However, in a response published on its social media handles on Friday, the EFCC dismissed the position of the Bauchi governor reiterating that the EFCC as an independent anti-corruption agency was merely doing its job based on the information and intelligence at its disposal.

According to the agency’s statement, “The EFCC is an independent agency created to fight economic and financial crimes

“The commission is non- partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will.

“The attempt to portray it as a pliable agency that panders to the demands of certain political interests is therefore mischievous and condemnable.”

The EFCC noted that, it was “derogatory” for the governor to link its statutory activities in Bauchi State to the influence of any political office holder

The statement reads in part:

“It is derogatory for Mohammed to ascribe the commission’s activities in Bauchi State to the influence of Mr. Wike.

“It is important to state that no political office holder is in a position to influence the investigative activities of the commission

“If Bala Mohammed wants to be honest, he would have revealed to Nigerians that he was standing trial for money laundering at the time he won election as governor of Bauchi State.

“Only the constitutional immunity from prosecution, which his current office attracts, has put that case in abeyance. Who also influenced the commission to investigate him in 2016 and charge him to court?”

“It is the height of hypocrisy for opposition politicians to be quick to scream persecution each time an opposition figure is called to account but are mute when a member of the ruling party faces the same ordeal

“Recently, the commission arraigned a ranking member of the ruling party in court for alleged corruption, and not a whimper of persecution was heard from any of the political divide.”

 

The EFCC further Governor Bala Mohammed to focus on governance and allow it to carry out its mandate of cleaning up the nation’s financial system.