A Northern advocacy group, The Arewa United Patriots, has told President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, over his alleged involvement in a sprawling N80 billion corruption scandal. The group recently alleged that Akume has consistently used his office to prevent investigations, oppress anti-graft operatives, and suppress evidence in a bid to obstruct justice.
Speaking via a letter addressed to the President, the Arewa United Patriots demanded Akume’s immediate suspension to pave the way for a comprehensive investigation into the fraud allegations that involve his aide, Torhile Uchi, a Senior Special Assistant to the President attached to the SGF’s office.
According to the group, Torhile was arrested by EFCC officials around March 2025 over an N80 billion fraud case and was subsequently suspended, but Akume has kept using his office to protect his aide, thereby obstructing justice and proper investigation into the allegations.
It read, “Members of the Arewa United Patriots (Club 1930) kindly appeal to you, as a very proactive President, to use your good office to suspend Senator George Akume (SGF) from office with immediate effect to allow for a full investigation into a celebrated case of financial malpractice in his office by his protégé, a Senior Special Assistant to the President attached to the office of the SGF, Mr. Torhile Uchi.
Mr. President, earlier in March this year, Sen. Akume’s protégé, Mr. Torhile, was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over N80 billion fraud allegations and was subsequently suspended from office for further investigations.
Sadly, however, the Arewa United Patriots have it on good authority that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has criminally deployed the full weight of his office to impede thorough investigations into the fraud coordinated in his office in an attempt to cover up his involvement in the crime. This is obviously a breach of public/civil service rules and statutory provisions,” it read.
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The Arewa United Patriots then issued a 7-day ultimatum to the EFCC to update Nigerians on how the investigation is going, else, a mass nationwide protest involving Northern groups and civil society organisations would begin.
The group maintained that leaving Senator Akume to continue using his office wrongly will only damage the government’s credibility and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
“Be informed, Your Excellency, that any attempt to sweep this heavy allegation against the SGF under the carpet will be resisted vehemently by the Arewa United Patriots and well-meaning Nigerians.
Mr. President, we emphasise again that the SGF’s move to prevent investigations into the fraud allegations in his office is shameful and criminal and must not be overlooked. The case has not progressed with the seriousness it deserves, and many attribute this to the SGF’s interference to cover up his complicity in the crime. It would be discouraging for an administration committed to fighting corruption to ignore such a high-magnitude fraud in the SGF’s office.
We call on the EFCC to, as a matter of urgency, update the public on the status of the pending investigations relating to the alleged N80 billion fraud involving Mr. Torhile Uchi and Sen. George Akume’s role within seven (7) days. We strongly advise the EFCC that failure to adhere to this ultimatum will leave us no choice but to mobilise all Northern groups and lovers of democracy across the country for the mother of all protests nationwide. It will be massive and unprecedented in our nation’s history. The EFCC must redeem itself and live up to its statutory responsibilities.
We make bold to say that suspending the SGF, Sen. George Akume, is both important and urgent to prevent him from using his office to sabotage the EFCC’s efforts. Suspend Senator George Akume (SGF) from office now and initiate a full and unhindered investigation to uncover his involvement in the N80billion fraud perpetrated by his trusted aide, Mr. Torhile Uchi,” it added.
