The Yoruba Youth Council (YYC) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and other anti-corruption agencies to investigate and arrest former Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari, over a series of allegations bordering on illegal mining, unexplained wealth, and questionable investments running into trillions of naira.
The demand was contained in a statement signed by the President of the group, Comrade Eric Oluwole, who said the council was acting on information and reports allegedly provided by the Zamfara Concerned Youth Assembly for Peace Advocacy.
According to the YYC, anti-graft agencies must urgently investigate Yari’s declared assets upon assuming office in 2011 and compare them with his current wealth profile to determine whether his present financial status can be justified by his known legitimate sources of income.
“The strongest philosophy of the Yoruba Youth Council is to always join other ethnic youth groups in our country to work for a better Nigeria,” Oluwole stated, adding that the organization remains committed to exposing corruption irrespective of political affiliations.
The group specifically called for investigations into what it described as Yari’s alleged links to the acquisition of the Geregu Power Plant, suspected illegal mining activities, and other investments which it claimed require scrutiny by relevant authorities.
The YYC further alleged that reports available to it suggest that the former governor is living far above his known means and may have utilized proxy investment structures to conceal the true sources of his wealth. It therefore urged anti-corruption agencies to thoroughly examine businesses and entities allegedly connected to him, including AJAP Financial Services Limited.
Citing information it attributed to the Zamfara Concerned Youth Assembly for Peace Advocacy, the council alleged that an account linked to AJAP Financial Services Limited recorded several high-value transactions, including withdrawals running into billions of naira in 2023. The group argued that such financial movements warrant detailed forensic investigation by relevant authorities.
“We believe that any investigation should carefully examine the funding sources behind major acquisitions reportedly linked to the Senator, the consistency of such acquisitions with previous asset declarations, the activities of companies publicly associated with him like the AJAP Financial Resources Limited that operates a UBA account number; 1025953401 with suspicious transactions worth billions and single transfers of One billion naira in a single day to one Abdulkarim Tsafe his former chief of staff on the 20th of December 2024, 3rd of March, 2025 and a transfer of 500 million naira twice on same day on the 29th of April 2025 to same benefiary as ‘financial support which is against the Anti money laundering Act (AML) and the recurring allegations connecting individuals within his circle to illegal mining and gold trading operations. The objective must be to establish the truth based on facts, evidence, and the rule of law”
The YYC also drew attention to the reported acquisition of a controlling stake in Geregu Power Plc, alleging that Yari, through MA’AM Energy Limited, acquired a 77 percent stake in the company in a transaction valued at over N1 trillion. The council claimed the company is allegedly owned by the former governor and members of his family and urged regulators and anti-graft agencies to investigate the source of funds used for the acquisition.
The group further questioned what it described as the rapid emergence of vast wealth allegedly linked to Yari and members of his family, arguing that such assets appear inconsistent with the financial circumstances that existed when he assumed office as governor in 2011.
According to the YYC, records available at the time allegedly showed that properties belonging to the former governor had been used as collateral for loans obtained to finance his election campaign. The council therefore described as “suspicious” what it called the subsequent acquisition of companies and assets worth trillions of naira after his tenure in public office.
The organization also called for an investigation into alleged investments linked to Yari in the aviation sector, including claims of ownership interests in private charter aircraft operations.
On the issue of illegal mining, the group referenced previous enforcement actions involving gold seizures and arrests allegedly connected to illegal mining networks operating in Zamfara State. It claimed that authorities should revisit such cases and investigate whether any links exist between the former governor and the individuals or syndicates involved.
The YYC specifically cited a 2018 seizure of gold at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and a more recent arrest involving the attempted export of gold through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The group alleged that both incidents may have connections to broader illegal mining operations and urged security agencies to establish whether any relationship exists between those activities and Yari.
Furthermore, the council alleged the existence of a mining cartel operating across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kebbi states and called on security agencies to investigate claims that the network is linked to the former governor.
Raising the stakes, the Yoruba Youth Council warned that failure by the EFCC, DSS, and other relevant agencies to act within two weeks could trigger legal action and nationwide protests.
“As a matter of urgency, the Yoruba youths give two weeks to EFCC and other agencies to arrest the former Governor of Zamfara State and if they refuse to arrest him, we shall initiate legal action and also occupy Nigeria with a massive protest,” the statement said.