The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is initiating expansive investigations into governors and their deputies who are soon to lose their immunity from prosecution as they leave office, according to reliable sources that spoke with Premium Times.
An internal memo reveals the EFCC’s scrutiny extends to at least 28 governors and their deputies, in a country with 36 states each governed by a governor-deputy duo.
Eighteen of the governors, along with their deputies, who are slated for EFCC’s scrutiny are set to step down when they complete their second terms in office on May 29.
Another governor will also exit office after serving a term on the same date, while ten others are slated to serve a second term following recent elections.
A comprehensive investigation is being undertaken, with the EFCC asking for the assets declaration forms of these officials from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), according to an official communication between the two agencies seen by the platform.
The EFCC’s specific cases against these officials remain unclear.
However, the agency indicated in a letter to the CCB chairperson, Mohammed Isah, that it requires these asset declaration documents to support an ongoing investigation involving the aforementioned officers.
The EFCC’s letter dated April 11, signed on behalf of the EFCC’s chair, Abduralsheed Bawa, includes a list of governors and deputies who assumed office in either 2015 or 2019.
The agency requested asset declaration forms submitted at the beginning and end of the current tenure for these officials.
It is uncertain if the CCB has replied to the EFCC’s letter.
The assets declaration documents are invaluable resources for investigators.
However, serving presidents, vice presidents, governors, and deputy governors in Nigeria are immune from criminal prosecution, limiting the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies to preliminary investigations.
List of Governors Under Investigation
The outgoing Zamfara governor, Bello Matawalle, and his deputy, Hassan Gusau, are among the 28 governors under the EFCC investigation.
The extensive list also includes notable names like Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike, Abdullahi Ganduje, Abubakar Bagudu, Abubakar Bello, Samuel Ortom, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
See the full list of governors and their deputies below:
1. Abia State
Governor – Okezie Ikpeazu
Deputy – Ude Oko Chukwu
2. Adamawa State
Governor – Ahmadu Fintiri
Deputy – Crowther Seth
3. Akwa Ibom State
Governor – Udom Emmanuel
Deputy – Moses Ekpo
4. Bauchi State
Governor – Bala Mohammed
Deputy – Baba Tela
5. Benue State
Governor – Samuel Ortom
Deputy – Benson Abounu
6. Borno State
Governor – Babagana Zulum
Deputy – Umar Kadafur
7. Cross River
Governor – Benedict Ayade
Deputy – Ivara Esu
8. Delta State
Governor – Ifeanyi Okowa
Deputy – Kingsley Otuaro
9. Ebonyi State
Governor – Dave Umahi
Deputy – Eric Igwe
10. Enugu State
Governor – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
Deputy – Cecilia Ezeilo
11. Gombe State
Governor – Muhammad Yahaya
Deputy – Manasseh Jatau
12. Jigawa State
Governor – Muhammad Abubakar
Deputy – Umar Namadi
13. Kaduna State
Governor – Nasir El-Rufai
Deputy – Hadiza Balarabe
14. Kano State
Governor – Abdullahi Ganduje
Deputy – Nasir Gawuna
15. Katsina State
Governor – Aminu Masari
Deputy – Mannir Yakubu
16. Kebbi State
Governor – Abubakar Bagudu
Deputy – Samaila Dabai
17. Kwara State
Governor – Abdulrahman AbdulRasaq
Deputy – Kayode Alabi
18. Lagos State
Governor – Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Deputy – Femi Hamzat
19. Nasarawa State
Governor – Abdullahi Sule
Deputy – Emmanuel Akabe
20. Niger State
Governor – Abubakar Bello
Deputy – Ahmed Ketso
21. Ogun State
Governor – Dapo Abiodun
Deputy – Noimot Salako-Oyedele
22. Oyo State
Governor – Oluwaseyi Makinde
Deputy – Adebayo Lawal
23. Plateau State
Governor – Simon Lalong
Deputy – Sonni Tyoden
24. Rivers State
Governor – Nyesom Wike
Deputy – Ipalibo Banigo
25. Sokoto State
Governor – Aminu Tambuwal
Deputy – Manni Dan-Iya
26. Taraba State
Governor – Darius Ishaku
Deputy – Haruna Manu
27. Yobe State
Governor – Mai-Mala Buni
Deputy – Idi Gubana
28. Zamfara State
Governor – Bello Matawalle
Deputy – Hassan Gusau