Tambuwal arrest: HURIWA says EFCC now Tinubu’s political attack dog

By Gbolahan Salman Sokoto

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of abandoning its statutory role to become an instrument of political persecution for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the group alleged that the recent arrest and detention of former Sokoto State Governor and serving Senator, Aminu Tambuwal, over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals totalling ₦189 billion, was a politically motivated move aimed at weakening the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the EFCC’s action as part of a “calculated pattern of harassment” targeting members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led opposition coalition, which has declared its readiness to challenge Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“Every discerning Nigerian can see the handwriting on the wall. The EFCC is no longer the fearless watchdog envisioned by law; it has been reduced to an obedient lapdog deployed to do the dirty political work of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),” Onwubiko said.

The group claimed that at least three former governors in the coalition had recently been summoned by the EFCC over what it described as stale cases. In contrast, HURIWA alleged that corruption cases involving APC stalwarts often vanish from public attention once the individuals align with the ruling party.

“This is not justice; this is selective political persecution,” the statement read, warning that such practices undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.

HURIWA argued that the timing of Tambuwal’s arrest,coming months after the coalition began strategic consultations, was intended to “break the spine of the opposition” before the 2027 race.

The group also dismissed EFCC’s claims of non-partisanship as “insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians,” urging the National Assembly to summon the Commission’s leadership to explain the revival of old cases against opposition figures.

HURIWA further called on civil society, professional bodies, and the international community to take note of what it termed “state-sponsored political persecution masquerading as anti-corruption,” warning of a “dangerous slide into one-party dictatorship.”

“The EFCC is not the property of the APC, and it certainly is not a re-election task force for Bola Tinubu. It belongs to the Nigerian people and is funded by taxpayers,” Onwubiko stated.

As of press time, the EFCC had yet to issue a fresh response to HURIWA’s allegations.