I am not on EFCC wanted list, claims malicious

Former Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has denied stories making the round that he has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC.

Tribune newspaper had this Sunday, 18th June, 2023 published a news story that the EFCC has declared the immediate past Zamfara Governor, Bello Matawalle wanted

A press statement signed by the media aide to Ex-Governor Matawalle, Lawal Umar denied the story and described it as untrue, fake, malicious aimed at tarnishing the image of the Ex-Governor who has done extremely well while in office between 2019-2023

This is coming less than an hour that the nation’s number one anti-graft agency also denied issueing such statement to any news platform

” 18th June, 2023 news story published by Nigerian Tribune online on the 18th June 2023, which falsely claims that the EFCC has declared Governor Matawalle wanted. It is important to clarify that this information is entirely baseless and a product of misinformation that has no traceable source” Umar said.

“The EFCC, as a reputable law enforcement agency, follows due process in its operations and does not engage in such haphazard or arbitrary declarations of individuals as wanted without concrete evidence and legal procedures. It is essential for media outlets to verify the accuracy of their reports before publishing, particularly when it involves sensitive matters such as legal actions against public figures” he added.

“Former Governor, Bello Matawalle has been around since his return on the 26th of May 2023 from a medical check-up and has not been declared wanted by any credible authority. This false information is not only tarnishes the reputation of former Governor Matawalle, but also undermines the integrity of a reputable medium such as Tribune newspaper responsible that published the story and journalism as a profession” the statement reads.

“We, therefore, urge the media to uphold highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and impartiality when reporting their news stories to avoid misleading the public as such can have serious consequences and can significantly impact the lives of those involved”

We kindly request that Tribune newspaper should as a matter of urgency issue a retraction and apology regarding the false article, while ensuring that the readers are provided with accurate information and a fair representation of the truth.