The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has dismissed claims by the Bauchi state government led by Governor Bala Mohammed, that the commission was engaging in politically motivated persecution, abuse of prosecutorial powers and actions capable of endangering public safety, following the arrest, detention and prosecution of senior officials of the state government.
In a petition dated December 31, 2025, and addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, the Bauchi State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice accused the EFCC of weaponising federal law-enforcement machinery to intimidate the state government and unlawfully rope in Governor Bala Mohammed without evidence or jurisdiction.
The petition demanded the immediate intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation to restrain what it described as an “escalating abuse of prosecutorial powers” by the EFCC, warning that the agency’s conduct now poses a “clear and present danger” to constitutional order, democratic stability and personal safety in Bauchi State.
But in a statement posted on the verified X handle of the commission, the EFCC said it is non- partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will.
Continuing, the Commission noted that on the issue of terrorism financing, it did not “invent the law, and where there are offences punishable by extant laws, EFCC will be failing in its responsibility to do otherwise”.
The commission asked Bauchi governor to focus on governing Bauchi State and “allow the EFCC focus more on cleaning the financial space of the nation, in line with its assigned mandate”.
The full statement is reproduced below:
Disregard Bala Mohammed’s Wild Claims – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, views with great displeasure the claims of Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Bala Mohammed about the Commission being used by political opponents, particularly the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to persecute him and his aides.
These claims are as wild as they are far- fetched. The EFCC is an independent agency created to fight economic and financial crimes. The Commission is non- partisan and discharges its mandate without affection or ill will. The attempt to portray it as a pliable agency that panders to the demands of certain political interests is therefore mischievous and condemnable.
It is derogatory for Mohammed to ascribe the Commission’s activities in Bauchi State to the Influence of Mr. Wike. It is important to state that no political office holder is in a position to influence the investigative activities of the Commission. If Bala Mohammed wants to be honest, he would have revealed to Nigerians that he was standing trial for money laundering at the time he won election as governor of Bauchi State. Only the constitutional Immunity from prosecution, which his current office attracts, has put that case in abeyance. Who also influenced the Commission to investigate him in 2016 and charge him to court?
In the instant case, the facts against some officials of Bauchi State government are already placed before the court. Members of the public can access the charges and decide for themselves whether the case is borne out of vendetta or is a product of painstaking investigation by the EFCC. They will also understand why Bala Mohammed as the approving authority in Bauchi State is mentioned in the charge.
Crying wolf over issues of terrorism financing is like clutching at straws. The Commission did not invent the law, and where there are offences punishable by extant laws, EFCC will be failing in its responsibility to do otherwise.
Public accountability should be the priority of politicians of all persuasions. It is the height of hypocrisy for opposition politicians to be quick to scream persecution each time an opposition figure is called to account but are mute when a member of the ruling party faces the same ordeal. Recently the Commission arraigned a ranking member of the ruling party in court for alleged corruption, and not a whimper of persecution was heard from any of the political divide.
Governor Mohammed should face the governance of Bauchi State and allow the EFCC focus more on cleaning the financial space of the nation, in line with its assigned mandate.