Emefielegate: Ex-Lawmaker, Gudaji Kazaure arrested, to explain to EFCC N70m collected from Emefiele

Emefiele

A Former House of Representatives member, Gudaji Kazaure is in the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving N70 million from the formal Central Bank Governor, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.

It was learnt that Kazaure, who represented Kazaure, Gwiwa and Yan Kwashi constituencies in Jigawa state, was whisked away by operatives of the anti-graft commission on Wednesday after a High Court in Kano vacated a restraining order against him.

It was gathered that Kazaure received N20 million in two tranches earmarked for ‘Sallah Rams’ from Emefiele’s emissary simply named ‘Eric’.

He also received another sum of N50 million as ‘donation’ after a fire incident in his residence.

The former kawmaker is currently detained at the commission’s office in Kano and may be brought to Abuja to face charges.

In December 2022, Kazaure accused Emefiele of being involved in the misappropriation of N89 trillion in stamp duty collections. He claimed that a presidential committee, on which he served as secretary, was established to investigate these funds.

According to Kazaure, the committee had the authority to detain individuals implicated in the alleged fraud, including Emefiele.

The presidency, however, refuted these claims, stating that the committee was unauthorized and had been dissolved. Presidential spokesperson then Garba Shehu emphasised that the total assets of Nigeria’s banking sector did not amount to N50 trillion, casting doubt on the plausibility of the alleged N89 trillion fraud.