Atiku Abubakar Condemns Tambuwal’s Detention, Criticises Tinubu’s Anti-Corruption Tactics
In a strongly worded statement on August 12, 2025, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar sharply criticized the arrest and detention of former Sokoto State Governor, and now Senator, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, describing it as politically motivated rather than a genuine battle against graft.
Atiku argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Tambuwal simply because he is part of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition. He contended that the Tinubu administration has weaponized the EFCC to harass, intimidate, and disempower opposition members, especially those who refuse to align with the ruling party.
He warned that this practice undermines the EFCC’s original mandate, turning it into a political instrument rather than an impartial anti-corruption agency. Atiku stressed that using anti-graft tools to force political allegiance only weakens institutional integrity and fosters an environment in which corruption can thrive.
Atiku went further, asserting that these coercive tactics risk pushing Nigeria toward a one-party system and urged civil society, citizens, and the international community to reject such anti-democratic strategies. “While the genuine fight against corruption should unite Nigerians,” he said, “the politicization of that fight must be strongly condemned.”
Tambuwal was officially detained following allegations of withdrawing ₦189 billion in cash, which reportedly violated the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. He was questioned for several hours at the EFCC’s Abuja headquarters.