Senator and ex-governor Aminu Tambuwal is under investigation by the EFCC over alleged illegal withdrawals of ₦189 billion a case already stirring national attention.

A senior EFCC official, who requested anonymity, confirmed on Monday that Tambuwal was taken into custody at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. The former governor reportedly arrived at about 11:30 a.m. and was promptly ushered in for questioning by investigators over the alleged multi-billion-naira financial irregularities.

According to the source, the suspicious cash withdrawals are believed to have breached the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. However, as of the time of filing this report, the exact timeframe during which the alleged transactions took place remains undisclosed.

Tambuwal, who served as governor of Sokoto State between 2015 and 2023, previously held the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. He is currently representing Sokoto South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

The development has sparked immediate political backlash. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) condemned Tambuwal’s detention, alleging that the EFCC is being used as a political tool by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to silence dissent. Echoing this sentiment, the Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the arrest as “a calculated move to intimidate opposition figures under the pretense of fighting corruption.”

At the time of this report, it remains unclear whether Tambuwal will be released on bail or held further as investigations continue.