A fresh wave of political tension has erupted in Plateau State following the arrest of 15 former lawmakers, including ex-Speaker Moses Th...
A fresh wave of political tension has erupted in Plateau State following the arrest of 15 former lawmakers, including ex-Speaker Moses Thomas Sule, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
The anti-graft agency, acting on allegations of procurement irregularities and violations of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, apprehended the former legislators on June 17, 2025. The individuals currently serve as liaison officers to Governor Caleb Mutfwang across various constituencies.
Those arrested include: Gwottson Fom, Sani Abubakar, Philip Gwom, Timothy Dantong, Happiness Mathew Akawu, Cornelius Dotyok, Agbalak Ibrahim, Danjuma Azi, Fwangje Bala Ndat, Salome Tanimu Wanglet, Namba Rimuyat, Nimchak Rims, Ishaku Maren, and Paul Datugun.
PDP Reacts: ‘This Is a Political Witch Hunt’
In a strongly worded statement issued Thursday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the arrests, describing them as a politically motivated clampdown instigated by leaders of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The statement, signed by PDP’s State Publicity Secretary Jonathan Amande, accused the APC of exploiting the EFCC to harass and intimidate PDP members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The Peoples Democratic Party wakes up to a disturbing trend of the arrest of the former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and 14 others, orchestrated by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the state for cheap political gains,” the statement reads.
Amande further alleged that the arrests were part of a larger campaign to weaken the PDP’s hold on Plateau and damage the reputation of Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration.
“These party leaders are wielding anti-graft agencies such as the EFCC as a tool to target and intimidate members of the PDP. As a party, we condemn in the strongest terms the parading of our members like common thieves—an action we consider purely politically motivated and aimed at undermining the PDP administration and the party’s influence in the state,” he added.
“This use of the EFCC as a political witch hunt designed to stifle dissent and suppress opposition voices in the country will do more harm than good—especially since the PDP administration has focused on moving Plateau State forward, rather than hunting down the last APC administration in the state, despite the numerous messes discovered under their eight years of tenure.”
EFCC Yet to Respond
As of the time of this report, the EFCC has not released a detailed public statement addressing the PDP's accusations. However, sources within the agency have maintained that the arrests followed standard investigative procedures tied to procurement breaches and financial misconduct.
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