EX Fed Lawmaker, Gudaji Kazaure Arrested by EFCC Over N70 million ‘Sallah Ram’ Gift by Emefiele
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Gudaji Kazaure has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N70 million he collected from former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Sources at the Kano office of the EFCC where the former lawmaker in being held told the Daily Nigerian newspaper that Gudaji who was arrested on Wednesday July 6, 2025 received the N70 million illegally from the embattled ex-CBN boss on two tranches.
The source disclosed that Kazaure allegedly received N20 million in two tranches through an intermediary identified as Mr Eric, reportedly for the purchase of “Sallah rams.” In a separate instance, he was said to have received an additional N50 million from Emefiele as a “donation” following a fire incident at his residence
The arrest of the outspoken lawmaker followed the vacation of a restraining order issued by a Kano State High Court which had earlier prevented the arrest of the former lawmaker.
The arrest of Kazaure is an interesting twist to the relationship between the former lawmaker and Emefiele whom the then Jigawa Federal lawmaker had on several occasions accused of being corrupt in the management of Nigeria’s finances and the CBN.
In December 2022, Kazaure in a packed press conference at the House of Representatives accused the then-CBN governor of financial impropriety, alleging that N89.1 trillion in stamp duty charges had gone missing under Emefiele’s watch. He claimed to have chaired a presidential committee set up by former President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the matter, but said he was repeatedly blocked from presenting its findings.
The then spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, however, swiftly denied the allegations on behalf of the government stating categorically that no such money was missing from government coffers. Mallam Shehu also that the committee in question had long been dissolved.
Hon. Kazaure represented the Kazaure/Roni.Gwiwa/Yankwashi Federal Constituency of Jigawa State in the 8th and 9th assemblies.