EFCC adopts new strategy to drive anti-corruption campaign

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has adopted a new strategy to prevent financial and economic crimes and drive the anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria.

EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Dele Oyewale, announced this on Thursday in Maiduguri at a one-day capacity-building workshop on economic and financial crimes for journalists and members of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Borno State.

“EFCC now adopts a preventive approach, modality, and framework for the prevention of financial and economic crimes,” Oyewale disclosed while presenting a paper titled The Role of CSOs and Media in Driving a Preventive Framework.

He said the success of the new strategy depends largely on the support and inputs from media practitioners as well as CSOs.

He also said the commission requires public ownership of the EFCC mandate and grassroots support to drive the anti-graft mission. “The EFCC can’t do it alone. It needs public ownership of the anti-corruption fight,” he stressed.

He disclosed that the commission jailed 4,111 individuals, including foreigners, between October 2023 and last month for various financial and economic crimes. He said the commission equally recovered ₦566 billion from various cases.

He said part of the recovered money was put into various capital projects and Federal Government commitments, including the ₦56 billion released into the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.

The EFCC on its website also indicates that the new framework is part of the commission’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan. It explains that the plan focuses on strengthening the fight against corruption, financial crimes, and cyber fraud.