Bauchi Governor Threatens ‘War’ Over EFCC Arrest, Tax Reforms

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has unleashed a fierce verbal broadside against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of weaponizing federal agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to target political opponents while pushing through burdensome tax reforms.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday amid escalating tensions, Mohammed decried the arraignment of his Commissioner for Finance, Abdul Ahmad Khalid, by the EFCC on allegations of laundering $9.7 million suspected to finance terrorism. The charges, filed in an Abuja Federal High Court, stem from an investigation into funds allegedly diverted from Bauchi State’s coffers between 2019 and 2023. Court documents reviewed by news outlets like Premium Times and Sahara Reporters detail how Khalid purportedly facilitated transfers linked to Boko Haram activities, with Mohammed’s name surfacing in related affidavits despite his gubernatorial immunity.

“I woke up to an accusation that I’m being accused of terrorism,” Mohammed fumed. “My commissioner of finance is being held by the EFCC, and my name is being mentioned in the suit even though I have immunity.” He dismissed the claims as politically motivated, insisting the federal government has achieved little for Bauchi: “They have not done 1km of road in Bauchi State. They’ve not provided water. Even the security agencies—I’m the one paying them to work for us—and they have the guts to talk.”

The governor’s outburst comes against the backdrop of President Tinubu’s controversial tax reform bills, currently under National Assembly scrutiny. The proposed laws aim to consolidate multiple taxes into four streamlined ones—overseen by the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS)—but critics, including several governors, argue they will cripple states’ revenues and burden ordinary Nigerians. Mohammed lambasted the reforms as a ploy to “impoverish the common man and the sub-nationals,” vowing that states like his People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-controlled Bauchi would not stay silent.

“I’ve kept quiet for too long. I’m not a coward,” he declared, escalating rhetoric to a boiling point. “The APC-led federal government thinks they can use the court and the EFCC to persecute and prosecute Nigerians that are not in their party. If they don’t stop, we are going to declare war. I won’t allow anyone to criminalise me because I’m not in the APC, and I refuse to join the APC. I will not join the APC.”

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest and arraignment, stating the agency acted on “credible intelligence” into terrorism financing networks. Khalid was remanded in custody pending bail, with the case adjourned to January 2026. No direct charges have been filed against Mohammed, protected by constitutional immunity, but sources indicate the probe implicates state-level financial approvals.

ADVERTISEMENT

This episode underscores deepening fault lines between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the center and opposition strongholds. Bauchi, a northeastern state plagued by Boko Haram insurgency, receives substantial federal security allocations—over ₦10 billion annually, per Budget Office data—fueling Mohammed’s claim of self-funding security operations. Analysts like those at the Centre for Democracy and Development warn that such public spats risk politicizing anti-terrorism efforts, potentially undermining national unity.

Tinubu’s tax package, signed into law in key aspects last month, promises to boost federal revenue from ₦10 trillion to ₦20 trillion yearly but faces pushback from 20 governors, including APC members. Bauchi’s budget for 2025 allocates 35% to security and infrastructure, highlighting the stakes for resource-strapped states.

Mohammed’s threat of “war” evokes memories of past regional agitations, though he clarified it as political resistance rather than violence. As PDP leaders rally behind him, the coming weeks could see intensified lobbying against the reforms and legal battles over the EFCC case.