EFCC reopens Atiku’s 20-year-old probe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the reopening of an investigation into allegations involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, following a fresh petition seeking a review of a case first examined about 20 years ago.

According to an acknowledgement letter cited in reports on Wednesday, the commission commenced an investigation into issues raised by former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma.

The renewed probe comes as Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), prepares to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election as one of the opposition’s leading contenders.

Agbonayinma, through his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo, asked the commission to revisit allegations investigated during the tenure of former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.

The petition, dated August 27, 2026, was received by the commission on September 1. Investigators subsequently invited Agbonayinma to the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, on October 12, where he adopted the petition and responded to questions.

Speaking with journalists after his appearance, the former lawmaker said the matter deserved renewed scrutiny in the interest of accountability and the rule of law.

“The laws are meant for both the rich and the poor,” he said.

The petition has, however, drawn objections from Atiku and former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, who warned against using the anti-graft agency to target opposition figures.

In a statement issued in September through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the renewed allegations as “panic dressed up as accountability”, arguing that they were being recycled to divert attention from the economic hardship under the Tinubu administration.

He maintained that the allegations had previously been examined by government institutions and the courts without any conviction against him. He challenged anyone with credible evidence to present it for legal scrutiny.

Atiku stressed that “a petition is not a conviction” and urged the EFCC to investigate genuine wrongdoing independently, warning against turning state institutions into political weapons.

Melaye, speaking at an ADC support groups’ town hall meeting in Abuja in September, also opposed calls to reopen the investigation, warning that the party would resist any attempt to politically target its presidential candidate.

“You cannot use the EFCC to torment the creator of the EFCC,” he said, referring to Atiku’s role in the administration that established the commission.

In an October 8 statement, Agbonayinma rejected suggestions that his petition was sponsored by Tinubu or motivated by partisan interests.

He maintained that his intervention was a personal initiative aimed at promoting accountability and urged Atiku’s legal team to address the issues raised.

“I acted as a Nigerian, not as Tinubu’s representative. Let the record be clear,” he said.