Alleged N189 billion fraud: EFCC Seizes Tambuwal’s Passport, Stops him from Overseas trip

The New Diplomat
Writer

Ad

2027: No More ‘Obidients’ in South East, Umahi claims

• Says South East is for Tinubu By Abiola Olawale Minister of Works Dave Umahi on Saturday claimed that the South East region of Nigeria has abandoned the Obidient Movement championed by the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi. This is as Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State declared that the South-East…

EPL Roundup: Haaland’s Heroics Fire Man City to Victory as Man Utd, Chelsea Suffer Setbacks

By Abiola Olawale In a thrilling English Premier League (EPL) weekend that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Manchester City surged to the top with Erling Haaland's clinical finishing, while Manchester United and Chelsea both tasted defeat dramatically. The first match of the weekend began with Manchester United playing Brentford. Brentford delivered an…

AfDB: Food crisis imminent unless urgent investment in fisheries is enforced

By Obinna Uballa The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called for urgent investment in Africa’s inland fisheries, warning that without restoring aquatic habitats and integrating fisheries into wider water resource management, the livelihoods of millions across the continent could be at risk. In its newly released Review of African Inland Fisheries, published on Saturday in…

Ad

By Abiola Olawale

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly seized the international passport of former governor of Sokoto State, and a current Senator, Aminu Tambuwal, after granting him.an administrative bail.

The seizure of Tambuwal’s international passport implies that he wouldn’t be able to travel outside Nigeria unless the EFCC releases his passport.

Tambuwal’s release reportedly followed intense questioning over alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals totaling N189 billion.

The New Diplomat’s checks revealed that the anti-graft agency, however, reportedly withheld his passport as investigations into the high-profile case continue.

Tambuwal, who served as Sokoto State Governor from 2015 to 2023 and previously as Speaker of the House of Representatives, was reportedly summoned to the EFCC’s Abuja headquarters on Monday, August 11, 2025, arriving around 11:30 a.m.

It was gathered that Tambuwal, during the detention, faced extensive interrogation regarding allegations surrounding suspicious withdrawals allegedly made during his tenure, which the EFCC purportedly claimed violated the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

After spending a night in custody, Tambuwal was released on Tuesday, August 12, after meeting bail conditions described as “not stringent” by agency sources.

An EFCC source confided in The New Diplomat thus: “He has been released on administrative bail after fulfilling all conditions. His passport remains with us as the investigation is ongoing.”

The allegations stem from suspected financial misconduct involving N189 billion, which the EFCC is probing for potential breaches of anti-money laundering laws.

Ad

Unlocking Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea during UNGA80
X whatsapp