Abdulaziz Yari, the former governor of Zamfara State, has been released from custody by the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s secret police, News About Nigeria reports.
Yari’s freedom was granted on Saturday evening.
The DSS had detained Yari, who is also a serving senator, in relation to the alleged misappropriation of N45 billion in campaign funds during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The funds were purportedly released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to support Buhari’s reelection in 2019.
The detained Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, reportedly implicated Yari in the scandal. Emefiele, who has been in DSS custody since the second week of June, was suspended by President Bola Tinubu’s government due to ongoing investigations into corruption-related offenses and abuse of office.
Furthermore, Emefiele implicated the suspended head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, as an alleged accomplice in a previous case involving the fraudulent redesign of the Nigerian currency.
During the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, Yari defied the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by contesting against Godswill Akpabio for the Senate Presidency. Akpabio, who is also aligned with Tinubu, emerged as the Senate President with 63 votes, defeating Yari, who was favored by the Buhari camp.
Sources revealed that both Emefiele and Bawa provided evidence incriminating Yari, prompting the DSS to take action against him.
It was reported that DSS agents had been monitoring Yari’s activities since his return from medical treatment in London, following his loss in the Senate Presidential race.
The detained EFCC Chair, Bawa, allegedly provided detailed information on Yari’s illicit dealings with Emefiele, who, in turn, accused Bawa of colluding with Yari.
