Tambuwal Granted Bail, Passport Withheld in ₦189 Billion Fraud Probe

Former Sokoto State Governor and current Senator Aminu Tambuwal has been granted administrative bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his detention for questioning over an alleged ₦189 billion fraud. While he has been released from custody, his international passport has been seized as a condition of his bail, according to sources within the anti-graft agency.

Tambuwal, who served as governor of Sokoto from 2015 to 2023, honored an EFCC invitation and arrived at the commission's headquarters in Abuja on Monday, August 11, 2025, where he was interrogated and held overnight. The investigation centers on alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals made during his two-term tenure, which sources say are in "flagrant violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022."

The former governor was released on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after meeting bail conditions. However, the seizure of his passport is a key part of his bail agreement. This action ensures that he remains within the country as the EFCC continues its investigation. The commission has not made an official public statement on the matter, and efforts to reach the EFCC spokesperson have been unsuccessful.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have condemned Tambuwal's detention, alleging it is politically motivated and part of a broader strategy by the current administration to pressure opposition figures. The EFCC, in a press statement on August 12, 2025, denied these claims, stating it operates with a non-partisan mandate and that "fraud is fraud" regardless of political affiliation.