2 weeks ago
6
…As Senate commends EFCC for recovering ₦364bn, $214m, securing 4,111 convictions successful 2024
By Henry Umoru, Abuja
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called connected the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to marque nationalist each high-profile petitions it has investigated and recovered to beryllium frivolous.
Akpabio said specified transparency would assistance dispel the wide content among Nigerians that each petition against nationalist officials, particularly politicians, automatically implies guilt oregon wrongdoing.
The Senate President made the telephone yesterday during deliberations connected a question titled “Urgent Need to Commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its Significant Gains Made successful Recent Times, Particularly successful 2024 Despite the Challenges It Has Encountered.” The question was sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue North East).
Akpabio, who described the EFCC’s existent show arsenic “a revolution,” attributed the translation astatine the anti-graft bureau to the enactment of its Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, and commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing “the close idiosyncratic for the job.”
“What we person present is simply a gyration successful the EFCC,” Akpabio said. “They should people reports of each petitions investigated, particularly politically motivated ones recovered to beryllium frivolous, due to the fact that Nigerians ever presume petitions mean condemnation oregon transgression — peculiarly for politicians.”
He added that the EFCC’s relation was not constricted to prosecution but besides to deterrence, stressing that, “For each condemnation recorded, astatine slightest 10 different crimes are apt prevented.”
Akpabio besides clarified that the EFCC cannot clasp immoderate percent of recovered funds without Senate approval, arsenic required by law. He directed applicable committees to verify whether specified requests had been made by the President.
The Senate, during plenary, commended the EFCC for its singular show successful 2024, citing grounds recoveries and convictions contempt operational challenges.
According to disposable data, the EFCC recovered ₦364,597,370,151.35; $214,513,439.55; €54,318.64; £31,265; CAD $2,990; AUD $740; CFA 7,821,375; UAE Dirham 170; Riyal 5,115; W 73,000; Yen 105; Ghanaian Cedi 225; and Rand 50 during the year.
The Commission besides secured 4,111 convictions — the highest successful its past — aft investigating 12,928 retired of 15,724 petitions received and filing 5,081 cases successful court.
Senator Udende, portion presenting the motion, said the EFCC’s show nether the existent medication had importantly boosted Nigeria’s representation globally and strengthened assurance successful its anti-corruption framework.
“Despite constricted resources and increasing complexity successful fiscal crimes, the EFCC has shown resilience and professionalism,” Udende said. “Its achievements successful 2024 correspond the highest operational occurrence since its constitution successful 2003.”
He besides listed assets recovered during the twelvemonth to see 173 automobiles, 378 physics items, 1 hotel, 2 golden Cuban chains, 14 lands, 784 estates, and unspecified quantities of petroleum products, alongside cryptocurrency assets worthy hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In his contribution, Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North) described the EFCC’s translation arsenic “a revolution,” saying this was the archetypal clip the bureau was delivering results “without media trials.”
“They person recovered implicit ₦500 cardinal successful 2024 alone. This is commendable,” Nwebonyi said.
Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central) raised concerns astir the EFCC’s retention of a statutory percent of recoveries, urging greater oversight by the National Assembly.
“The EFCC is entitled to a percent nether the law, but has this enclosure ever received a petition oregon connection connected this? We indispensable guarantee due oversight,” helium said.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved an further question commending President Tinubu for his “strategic leadership” and “consistent support” for the EFCC done the assignment of competent enactment and capable funding.
“The President deserves recognition for ensuring the EFCC is decently funded and empowered,” Bamidele said. “His enactment has straight led to much recoveries, deterrence, and convictions, marking a bold measurement successful Nigeria’s anti-corruption war.”
The Senate thereafte...
English (US) ·