The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former House of Representatives member Gudaji Kazaure over allegations that he received N70 million from embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The dramatic arrest took place after a court order shielding Kazaure from investigation was lifted, clearing the way for his apprehension by EFCC operatives in Kano on Wednesday.
According to reports, the former lawmaker, who represented Kazaure, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, is accused of collecting the funds under suspicious circumstances. Investigators revealed that Kazaure allegedly received N20 million in two installments as payment for “Sallah rams,” reportedly handed to him by an intermediary who identified himself as “Eric” on behalf of Emefiele. In addition, he reportedly secured a further N50 million under the guise of a donation following a fire incident that affected his residence.
Kazaure is currently being held at the EFCC’s zonal office in Kano and may soon be transferred to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja for further questioning as investigations deepen.
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The arrest has stirred intense public interest, particularly because Kazaure had previously positioned himself as an anti-corruption crusader. In December 2022, he accused Godwin Emefiele of orchestrating the misappropriation of a staggering N89 trillion in stamp duty revenues. Kazaure claimed he served as secretary to a presidential committee allegedly set up to investigate the missing funds and even suggested that the panel had the authority to arrest anyone found culpable, including Emefiele.
However, the presidency swiftly discredited his claims. Presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu dismissed the allegations, asserting that the committee was never officially recognized and had been dissolved long before the accusations surfaced. Shehu further debunked the figures cited by Kazaure, noting that the entire Nigerian banking sector was not even worth N50 trillion at the time, making the alleged N89 trillion fraud not only baseless but mathematically impossible.
Now, with the tables turned, Kazaure finds himself at the center of a growing scandal, not as an accuser, but as the accused. The arrest adds a fresh twist to the ongoing saga involving Godwin Emefiele, who is already facing a litany of corruption-related charges, and raises new questions about the extent of financial misconduct during his controversial tenure at the apex bank.
As Nigerians watch closely, the unfolding investigation could expose deeper layers of political complicity and financial recklessness at the highest levels of government. The EFCC is yet to officially release a statement, but sources within the commission suggest that more revelations are expected in the coming days.