Of Juliana Taiwo-Obalonyeabuja
the The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has so far recovered over N30 billion from corruption activities surrounding the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Suspended, Idris Ahmed.
The President of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, stated this while appearing yesterday at the 62nd Press Ministerial Meeting organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Idris is currently being prosecuted by the Commission for an alleged N109 billion fraud. Giving highlights of the anti-corruption body’s achievements from January to December 2022, Bawa revealed other recoveries including N134,33,759,574.25, $121,769,076.30, £21,020.00, €156,925.00, ¥21,350.00, CFA300,000.00 among others.
Further demonstrating the administration’s commitment to its anti-corruption effort, it also revealed that 3,615 convictions were recorded for the entire period.
He said: “In the first full year of the current administration, the EFCC recorded only 195 convictions, that was in 2016. In 2017, the EFCC recorded 186, we went down; in 2018 we registered 312 convictions; in 2019 we registered 1,280 convictions, it rose to more than 312 percent; in 2022, we had COVID, so we went down to 976; last year (2021), which was part of my administration, we recorded an unprecedented 2,220 convictions. And this year, although it has not ended, we have so far registered 3,615 convictions, an unprecedented fact.
“The numbers of convictions that the EFCC has obtained, this year alone, are more than the convictions that the Commission has registered from its inception until 2020. This is so because of the effort we have put in, the support that the government is giving us, and also the good working relationship that we have with the judiciary, as well as so many things that we have been doing, and the government has been supporting us to do it as an institution. That’s why you can see the success, this is where we are now and it’s going to get better.”
The EFCC chief said about 150 homes across the country would be sold to potential buyers after the state auction of seized cars. Furthermore, he revealed that between January and October this year, the EFCC recovered more than N134 billion as well as $121 million and 15 pieces of land for the country from criminals.
Bawa revealed that in November 2022, the anti-corruption agency recovered another 201 billion naira from oil companies that failed to pay royalties to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the statutory payment of three percent to the Delta Development Commission. from the Niger. The breakdown includes $354 million, N30 billion and $30 million.
On the well-being of its staff, the EFCC chairman said that President Muhammadu Buhari had since approved a robust severance package for commission staff, as a way to improve its efficiency. He also said the commission had remitted at least 136 billion naira to the Federal Government account set up to collect and manage crime proceeds since May 2022.