Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has accused the Federal Government of weaponizing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to harass him and his officials. The governor alleged that the persecution is a direct result of his refusal to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He made these remarks on Wednesday at the Bauchi Government House.
Speaking during a ceremony where he received a “Safety Ambassador Award” from the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Mohammed expressed deep frustration. He lamented that his Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, remains in EFCC detention despite his own immunity as governor. He warned that he would no longer remain silent in the face of such intimidation.
“The APC-led federal government thinks they can use the courts and institutions of government, like the EFCC, to persecute and prosecute Nigerians who are not within their own party,” Mohammed stated. He declared that if the harassment does not stop, he is prepared to “declare war,” signaling an end to his previous stance of silence for the sake of peace.
The governor described the situation as a political witch-hunt. He cited a recent court motion where his name was “stupendously mentioned” in connection with terrorism financing charges, an allegation he dismissed as “shocking and absurd.” He insisted that he had nothing to do with terrorism and would never condone criminality.
This outburst follows the EFCC’s arraignment of the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and others on charges of money laundering and terrorism financing involving millions of dollars. The anti-graft agency alleges that state funds were diverted to finance illicit activities with the governor’s approval.
Beyond the legal battles, Mohammed criticized the Federal Government’s neglect of Bauchi State. He claimed that despite controlling the lion’s share of national resources, the central government has failed to construct a single kilometer of road or provide water in his state. He argued that the current tax system and federal policies are only serving to impoverish ordinary Nigerians.
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