EFCC Arrests Former House Of Reps Member Kazaure

Gudaji Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly receiving N70 million from the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

Mr Kazaure was taken into custody on Wednesday, shortly after a High Court in Kano vacated a restraining order that had previously barred the anti-graft agency from arresting him.

According to Daily Nigerian, the former lawmaker representing Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, received N20 million in two tranches from Mr Emefiele through an emissary named Mr Eric, reportedly to buy “Sallah Rams.”

“Mr Kazaure received N20m in two tranches through Mr Emefiele’s emissary named Mr Eric to buy ‘Sallah Rams’,” a source at the commission said.

The source further revealed that Mr Kazaure later received another N50 million from Mr Emefiele as a “donation” following a fire incident at his residence.

“Mr Kazaure subsequently received the sum of N50m as ‘donation’ from Mr Emefiele, following a fire incident at the former lawmaker’s residence,” the source added.

He is currently being held at the EFCC office in Kano and may be transferred to Abuja to face formal charges.

In December 2022, Mr Kazaure accused Mr Emefiele of corruption, alleging that N89.1 trillion in Stamp Duty charges had gone missing under the CBN governor’s watch.

He also claimed that he was being deliberately denied the opportunity to present a preliminary report of a presidential committee set up by then-President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the alleged missing funds.

However, the presidency, through the then-presidential spokesman Garba Shehu, dismissed Mr Kazaure’s allegations and said, “The said committee had since been dissolved.”