The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected allegations by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed that an ongoing suit involving a state commissioner is politically motivated, insisting the claims are unfounded and intended to distract from judicial scrutiny.
According to the anti-graft agency, suggestions that it is acting at the behest of political rivals undermine its statutory independence and misrepresent the basis of the charges already before the court.
The commission stressed that its operations are guided strictly by evidence and due process, not partisan interests.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the EFCC described the governor’s remarks as “wild and far-fetched,” arguing that no political officeholder has the capacity to influence its investigative or prosecutorial decisions.
“The commission is non-partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will,” it said.
The agency further pushed back against claims linking the case to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, calling the assertion “mischievous and condemnable.”
It maintained that investigations into Bauchi State officials predate current political disagreements and are rooted in documentary and testimonial evidence already filed in court.
Addressing references to terrorism financing raised by the governor, the EFCC said the allegations were a diversionary tactic.
“The commission did not invent the law,” it noted, adding that where conduct falls within offences recognized by existing statutes, it has a duty to act. “Failing to do so would amount to a dereliction of responsibility.”
The commission stated that court filings clearly outline why certain officials, including the governor in his capacity as approving authority, are referenced in the charges.
It urged members of the public to review the case records independently to determine whether the prosecution reflects vendetta or a product of painstaking investigation.
“Politicians should focus on governance and allow the commission to clean the nation’s financial space,” the statement said, noting that recent prosecutions have cut across party lines without preferential treatment.
