The Nigerian Advocates for Anti-Corruption Forum (NAACF), a Lagos-based anti-corruption advocacy group, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reopen its unresolved cases against the former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari.
The group, in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Chairman, Bashir Babatunde, said the allegations against the former governor were too serious to be left unresolved.
Citing how the former governor obtained orders from the Federal High Court in 2022 and 2023 restraining law enforcement agencies from detaining him over corruption allegations, the group argued that Senator Yari had, for years, evaded accountability over his stewardship in Zamfara State. It added that, in the interest of transparency and accountability, the outstanding cases should be pursued to their logical conclusion, including, where appropriate, securing a conviction.
“Senator Yari has been under investigation since 2022 for alleged fraud relating to the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). It is unfortunate that, to date, the EFCC has not been able to successfully prosecute the case and secure a conviction.
“Recall that Yari was also arrested in connection with the fraud allegations levelled against Ahmed Idris, the former Accountant-General of the Federation, who was subsequently suspended.
“Senator Yari was reported to have allegedly benefited to the tune of N22 billion through a company, Finex Professional. The funds were reportedly paid to him by the former Accountant-General.
“It is suspicious that since the former governor joined the 10th Senate, all existing cases involving him that were being investigated by the EFCC appear to have been put on hold. This does not reflect well on the EFCC.”
The group also alleged that, in 2021, Senator Yari was questioned by the EFCC over an alleged attempt to illegally move N300 billion from a corporate account in a new-generation bank, shortly after he had forfeited assets and funds believed to be proceeds of corruption, “however, it is unfortunate that nothing came out of that questioning.”
It further claimed that Senator Yari, who recently acquired a majority stake in Geregu Power in a transaction reportedly valued at over $750 million, was using funds that were the subject of ongoing investigations to acquire additional assets and maintain an affluent lifestyle.
According to the group, the EFCC’s silence on the allegations against Senator Yari creates the impression that the agency is selective in its anti-corruption efforts and undermines public confidence in its impartiality.
It therefore urged the anti-corruption agency not to be deterred by the status or influence of any individual, but to resume its investigations and diligently pursue the cases through the courts.
