The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied any connection to a report circulating in the media which claimed that it released a list of 58 former governors under investigation for allegedly embezzling N2.18 trillion.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the EFCC made it clear that it has neither published such a list nor has it discussed any investigation concerning the former governors with any media entity.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale labeled the report titled ‘EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex-Governors that Embezzled N2.187 Trillion’ as “a phantom report,” calling it “false and mischievous.”
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, feels obliged to dissociate itself from a phantom report circulating in sections of the media, claiming it has released a full list of ex-governors being investigated for alleged corruption.
“The report headlined ‘EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex- Governors that Embezzled N2.187 Trillion,’ in one of the news outlets, is false and mischievous as the commission neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on the investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.
“This invariably means that the so-called list is a disingenuous fabrication designed to achieve motives known only to the authors,” the statement read.
Oyewale has called on the public to dismiss the circulating report and encouraged the media to confirm details of ongoing investigations with the commission directly to avoid spreading misinformation.
The EFCC is currently considering a new petition it received concerning an alleged N70 billion corruption case involving the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
Wilson Uwajuren, the EFCC’s acting Director of Public Affairs, confirmed this while speaking to protesters from the APC Akida Forum. The group had gathered at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, calling for the reopening of the pending case.
Previously, on May 18, 2023, Osita Nwajah, the Director of Media and Publicity Affairs at the EFCC, announced that the commission was investigating allegations of corruption, the awarding of non-existent contracts, and the diversion of over N70 billion supposedly committed by the minister during his time as governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.