Dino Melaye Warns EFCC Against Inviting Atiku Over Old Allegations

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against inviting, arresting or interrogating former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over longstanding financial crime allegations.

Melaye issued the warning at an African Democratic Congress (ADC) All Support Groups town hall meeting in Abuja, where he described the renewed calls for an investigation as politically motivated.

His comments followed a petition by former House of Representatives member Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who asked the EFCC to reopen allegations involving Atiku and pursue prosecution. Agbonayinma, through his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo of Sagitarian Law Firm, reportedly gave the commission 14 days to act on the demand. The petition was dated August 27 and received by the EFCC on September 1, 2026.

The petition referred to allegations investigated between 2005 and 2006, when Atiku served as vice-president, as well as a 2010 report by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The allegations have not resulted in a criminal conviction against Atiku.

Melaye argued that Atiku had been investigated by government institutions on several occasions and cautioned against using the EFCC to target opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Atiku was part of the government that created the EFCC. You cannot use the EFCC to torment the creator of the EFCC,” Melaye said, according to reports of the event.

He also warned that the ADC would resist any attempt to invite or arrest Atiku based on what he described as a frivolous petition.

“If due to this frivolous petition you invite, arrest or interview Atiku Abubakar, we will prove to you that the people own government,” Melaye said in a video shared on his X account.

Atiku has previously rejected calls for the allegations to be reopened, maintaining that the issues had been examined by various government institutions and the courts. He has also challenged anyone with credible evidence to present it through the appropriate legal channels.

The EFCC had not publicly announced, as of the latest reports, whether it would act on Agbonayinma’s petition.