Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle

Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, who governed Zamfara State from May 2019 to May 2023 (defecting from PDP to APC in mid-2021), has been the subject of a high-profile but stalled Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation since the final week of his tenure. On 18 May 2023 the commission publicly announced it was probing him over the alleged diversion of more than N70 billion sourced as a commercial bank loan ostensibly to execute local-government projects; investigators reported that over 100 contractor companies received payments without delivering services and were allegedly instructed to convert sums into US dollars and return cash to the governor through commissioners (Guardian, Punch, TheCable, Vanguard). Matawalle responded by accusing then-EFCC Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa of demanding a $2 million bribe from him in an interview on BBC Hausa; the EFCC publicly described the claim as a 'hoax' and dared him to produce evidence, which has not been done in court (THISDAY, TheCable, The Nation). The probe was effectively dormant after his August 2023 appointment by President Bola Tinubu as Minister of State for Defence, but was reactivated through a series of petitions: the APC Akida Forum lodged a fresh petition on 3 May 2024, escalated on 30 September 2024, alleging mismanagement of N528 billion (combining N290bn FAAC receipts, N133bn JAAC and a N105bn loan); in May 2025 the APC Young Leaders Alliance staged protests at EFCC headquarters demanding reopening of the case (Vanguard, Punch, Arise, SaharaReporters, Daily Post, TheCable). The EFCC has publicly stated the file 'remains open' and that 'the right thing will be done', though no arraignment has occurred. A parallel handover-audit dispute with successor Governor Dauda Lawal accuses Matawalle of leaving the treasury depleted and bequeathing months of salary arrears and statutory debts; Matawalle's camp counters that N25.9 billion was left in the treasury (Independent, Wikipedia/Lawal entry). Separately, allegations from former aides (November 2025) and US State legislator Sam Yingling (April 2026) link Matawalle to banditry financing — including alleged provision of Hilux vehicles to bandit commanders and a claimed 'hush money' offer to a US official; Matawalle vigorously denies these, has publicly sworn on the Quran to deny any banditry ties, and has challenged accusers to court (SaharaReporters, Premium Times, Punch, Daily Post, Truth Nigeria). The Presidency states the National Security Adviser's office investigated the banditry claims and found them 'baseless', and Tinubu retained him through the October 2024 reshuffle (Leadership, Daily Post). Status: active named investigation, no charges filed; classic Nigerian cabinet-protection pattern in which serving ministers are not arraigned while in office.