BREAKING: Barely 4 Months To Presidential Election, EFCC Reopens 2006 Financial Crimes Case Against Atiku
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received a fresh petition seeking the prosecution of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over alleged financial crimes dating back to 2006, following renewed calls by former House of Representatives member, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, for the anti-graft agency to revisit its earlier investigation.
Agbonayinma said the EFCC acknowledged his petition, dated August 27, 2026, and received on September 1. The petition, filed through his lawyer, Chief Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, SAN, asks the commission to review its September 2006 report on Atiku and consider a subsequent report by a United States Senate subcommittee.
The former lawmaker appeared at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, where he adopted the petition and answered questions from investigators. He urged the commission to take action on the allegations, arguing that the matter should not remain unresolved.
Atiku Abubakar
“I want to thank Nigerians, the EFCC, and those praying for me in this struggle. The laws are meant for both the rich and the poor. After the EFCC has done a fantastic job, it should not be kept under the table,” Agbonayinma said.
In the petition, he also asked the commission to consider a February 4, 2010, report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He argued that the two reports should form part of the basis for renewed action on the allegations against the former vice-president.
EFCC
Agbonayinma further alleged that the EFCC had previously indicated that Atiku could face prosecution after leaving office, when his constitutional immunity as vice-president ceased to apply. He questioned why prosecution had not followed and described the alleged failure to act as a dereliction of duty.
The former lawmaker said pursuing the case would demonstrate the commission’s commitment to holding politically influential people accountable, regardless of their status. He also disclosed that he had petitioned United States President Donald Trump over the allegations.
The development comes amid political tensions ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with concerns and allegations about the use of state institutions against political opponents featuring in public debate. However, the information provided does not establish that the Tinubu administration directed the EFCC to reopen the matter or that the petition is part of a politically motivated campaign against opposition figures.
The EFCC’s acknowledgment of the petition and its questioning of Agbonayinma do not, on their own, confirm that the commission has formally reopened the investigation or decided to prosecute Atiku. The allegations remain unproven, and any decision on further action rests with the relevant authorities.
