Abdulaziz Yari, former Governor of Zamfara State, has been cleared of all charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The discharge and acquittal took place at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday. Justice Abubakar Zannah upheld a previous ruling that dismissed the 17-count charge of money laundering and theft brought against Yari. The EFCC had accused him of diverting over ₦40 billion from the state treasury between 2012 and 2019. However, the court found insufficient evidence to sustain the allegations. Yari maintained his innocence throughout the trial, stating that the funds in question were part of statutory allocations to Zamfara State and were used for public projects. His legal team argued that the prosecution failed to prove ownership or misappropriation. Following the verdict, Yari expressed relief, saying justice had prevailed after years of legal battles. He thanked his supporters and pledged to continue serving the people of Zamfara. The EFCC has not indicated whether it will appeal the judgment. Yari served as governor from 2011 to 2019 and was a member of the All Progressives Congress until his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2022. He briefly contested for the presidency under the PDP platform in 2023. The court's decision marks the end of a high-profile corruption case linked to former state executives under federal investigation.
Yari walks free from a ₦40 billion fraud charge with no accountability for how public funds were spent despite years of investigation. The EFCC's failed prosecution raises questions about the agency's case-building and prioritization of high-level corruption. Nigerians are left with a pattern of dramatic arrests followed by quiet collapses in court. This outcome may shape public trust in anti-graft efforts more than any conviction.
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