The arrest of former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has stirred a wave of reactions across Northern Nigeria, with political leaders, activists, and ordinary citizens split between accusations of witch-hunting and calls for the law to take its course.
Tambuwal — a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and two-term governor — was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals totalling ₦189 billion during his time in office. Investigators say the withdrawals breached the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 11 a.m. and was taken in for interrogation.
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and rights groups. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) labelled the move “politically motivated.” Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using the EFCC to intimidate opponents, while ex-presidential candidate Peter Obi warned that Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight would lose credibility if it lacked fairness and transparency. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) echoed those concerns, describing the arrest as a partisan tactic.
The EFCC, however, insists it is acting impartially and that no one — whether in the ruling party or the opposition — is above the law.
But northern activist Mahdi Shehu disagrees. In a fiery interview, he accused the EFCC of “dancing naked” by targeting opposition figures while shielding powerful allies of the government.
“If it’s not political, why arrest Tambuwal now, while the likes of Godswill Akpabio, Bello Matawalle, Aliyu Wamakko, and many serving ministers facing criminal allegations are untouched?” he asked.
Shehu pointed to what he described as selective blindness in the agency’s work — from the Senate’s report that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) could not account for ₦210 trillion, to the alleged disappearance of $7 billion meant for refinery maintenance. He also questioned why the EFCC hasn’t probed Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, over his newly unveiled mansion.
“They won’t touch him because he has powerful backers,” Shehu claimed. “One day, the hunter will become the hunted.”
Adnan Mukhtar Tudunwada, a former Kano State House of Assembly aspirant, shared similar views, calling the arrest “purely political” and a sign that the EFCC has abandoned neutrality. He linked the move to Tambuwal’s recent criticism of Tinubu’s administration, saying many APC members facing corruption allegations are never summoned.
But not everyone agrees that politics should overshadow the allegations. Public affairs advocate Rabiu Musa urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of the case.
“Whether political or not, did he commit the crime? That’s the real question,” Musa said.
With the EFCC holding its ground and northern voices growing louder, Tambuwal’s arrest is shaping up to be more than a legal battle — it’s becoming a test of Nigeria’s promise to fight corruption without fear or favour.
