Former Governor Accused Of Diverting Billions Of State Funds, Donates N200 Million For Sallah

Bello Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State in Nigeria, who is currently under investigation for alleged corruption and misappropriation of state funds, has made a “donation” of millions of naira to residents for the Sallah celebrations. This move comes despite his administration’s failure to pay workers’ salaries for three months.

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Tukur Danfulani, announced that Matawalle donated N200 million to his supporters, including party members, stakeholders, women, youth groups, orphans, the less privileged, Islamic scholars, media practitioners, and social media influencers and handlers. Danfulani, who is overseeing the distribution, described the gesture as timely and aimed at helping people celebrate the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival.

The donation has raised eyebrows due to the ongoing corruption allegations against Matawalle. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating him for allegedly diverting N70 billion from the state treasury. In response, Matawalle accused the suspended EFCC Chairman of soliciting a $2 million bribe from him, a claim denied by the EFCC. Additionally, Matawalle’s administration had failed to pay Zamfara State workers for three months, causing economic hardship for many.

This act of donating money to residents in the midst of corruption allegations mirrors the behavior of Matawalle’s predecessor, Abdulaziz Yari, who also engaged in similar practices while facing accusations of misappropriating state funds. Yari recently shared 500 rams with his neighbors, continuing a tradition he has upheld for several years during the Sallah celebrations.

Despite the ongoing investigations and allegations, both Matawalle and Yari maintain their innocence regarding any wrongdoing.