THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said it recorded 646 convictions and recovered more than N11 billion in monetary assets this year, despite the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Umar Abba, was quoted to have disclosed this while addressing the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes in Abuja on Tuesday.
The spokesperson of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that the Senate Committee had expressed the desire of the Upper Legislative House to see a reformed and rebranded EFCC.
This, according to the committee, will help in its fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes in the country.
Sen. Suleiman Kwari, the Chairman of the Committee, advised that 90 per cent of investigation should be done before arrest is effected.
He also advised the Commission to stop what he called “media hype”, saying, “If you want to be effective, forget the media. Do the work and let your work speak for you.”
Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, however, noted that there must be adequate provision for legal fees in the EFCC budget for effective prosecution.
According to Uwujaren, the EFCC boss told the Senate Committee that the Commission had earned the confidence and trust of Nigerians because of its unblemished professional disposition.
“The EFCC is doing remarkably well above all other law-enforcement agencies in the country and that is why the UNODC and National Bureau of Statistics in the 2017 survey they conducted ranked EFCC as the most effective government agency in Nigeria,” Umar said.
On the issue of seized vehicles by the Commission, Abba said, “We are working on this challenge and I am sure the Attorney General of the Federation is coming out with a gazette so that this issue will be a thing of the past. It involves not only vehicles but also landed properties.”
The EFCC boss also blamed the waning impact of the Whistle-blowing policy of the Federal Government on mischief and misinformation by members of the public who he said turned it to a tool for settling personal scores.
He said, “It is true that the whistle-blowing policy has gone awry, unlike what it was at the beginning of the policy, where we received several reports from whistle-blowers.
“People started being mischievous with the policy. So we have to tread carefully as people turned it into a personal vendetta tool against individuals.”
