Atiku Accuses EFCC of Partisan Agenda, Says Anti-Corruption War Now “Political Witch-Hunt”

By Our Correspondent

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the agency of abandoning its core mandate and turning the nation’s anti-corruption campaign into a tool for political persecution.

Atiku said the EFCC’s recent activities demonstrate a troubling pattern in which opposition figures are aggressively targeted, while allies of the ruling party appear to receive preferential treatment.

According to Atiku, Nigeria’s once-credible anti-corruption drive has “derailed into a full-blown political witch-hunt,” undermining both public trust and the integrity of institutions created to uphold accountability. He argued that the EFCC now functions as an “overzealous appendage” of those in power, rather than as an impartial guardian of the law.

The former Vice-President referenced recent high-profile arrests, including that of former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami (SAN), as evidence of selective enforcement. He claimed that such moves fit a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at weakening the opposition while shielding individuals aligned with the ruling party from scrutiny.

Atiku warned that the politicization of anti-graft bodies threatens Nigeria’s democratic stability, erodes confidence in justice processes, and damages the country’s international credibility in combating corruption.

He called on the EFCC to re-establish its independence and refocus on its founding principles to ensure that the fight against corruption is fair, transparent, and free from political interference.