Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former federal lawmaker Gudaji Kazaure over alleged financial links to embattled ex-Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Kazaure, who represented the Kazaure/Gwiwa/Yankwashi constituency in Jigawa State, was taken into custody on Wednesday following the lifting of a court restraining order that had shielded him from prosecution.
According to EFCC sources, Kazaure allegedly received N70 million from Emefiele through an intermediary named “Eric.” The sum includes N20 million payments reportedly meant for “Sallah Rams” and a N50 million “donation” following a fire incident at his residence.
He is currently being held at the Kano office of the EFCC’s and is expected to be transferred to Abuja for formal charges.
In 2022, Kazaure made headlines after accusing Emefiele of mismanaging N89 trillion in stamp duty revenue, claiming he served as secretary of a presidential committee investigating the matter. However, the presidency dismissed the committee’s legitimacy, with spokesperson Garba Shehu describing Kazaure’s figures as “wildly exaggerated,” noting the entire Nigerian banking sector was not worth N50 trillion.
