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By Chukwuma Umeorah
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under the chairmanship of Abdulrasheed Bawa, has secured over 6,000 convictions, including recovery of cash and assets worth billions of naira between 2021 and 2022.
A coalition of civil society organisation, Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG), disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, yesterday.
Its Convener and President, Razaq Olokoba, said there had been a spike in conviction and recovery cases across all zones of the country since 2019 with the most exponential number recorded in 2021 and 2022.
He also said data from the anti-graft agency made available to it showed the recovery of billions of naira and other foreign currencies within the same period.
“The number of convictions secured rose from 1,280 in 2,019 and hit an unprecedented 2,220 in 2021, a value amounting to 98.47 per cent of all cases brought before the court. In the same year, over N150 billion was recovered, including huge amount of money recovered in other currencies. However, the record for 2022 was even more startling for the anti-corruption forces as a total number of convictions in the year was 3,785 signifying a 70 per cent increase from the 2,220 cases recorded in 2021.
“The monetary recovery was also higher in 2022 with over N260 billion, $509 billion and millions in other foreign currencies were also recovered. These values exclude assets such as automobiles, electronics, machines, factories, hotels, petroleum products and minerals such as lithium which were recovered in the same period.”
Olokoba said these convictions and recovery highlights the competence and resilience of Bawa and his team in riding the country of corruption given their approach in ensuring arrests and prosecutions were based on concrete evidence rather than capricious reasons and intentions.
He condemned recent attacks on the EFCC boss, saying it was important for citizens to appreciate the enormity of work involved in fighting graft and the need to support the agency rather than knocks that discourages.
He claimed those attacking Bawa despite his achievements sought his unceremonious sack from the position, urging the incoming government not to fall for the bait.
“The winning team must be allowed to exploit its talent and continue to bring in the laurels and trophies. Today’s team of EFCC, under Bawa, represents such a team. The greatest thank you such a team could get is to retain them,” he said.
Olokoba said Bawa has brought his experience to bear in tackling corruption, noting that it would be wrong to thinker with the current EFCC leadership.
