From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Nigeria’s apex anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has assured Nigerians that it will never again allow hitherto looted assets by corrupt individuals to be relooted.
The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ola Olukoyede, gave the assurance in Kachia, Kaduna State on Wednesday when he paid a visit to the main campus of the newly established Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.
The university’s facility was taken over by the Federal Government following a court order for the forfeiture of the hitherto privately owned institution.
Nok University was a privately owned institution founded in 2021 by Anthony Hassan, a former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Federal Ministry of Health. However, in June 2024, a Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, issued a final order of forfeiture, finding that Hassan used illicit public funds to acquire the university and related assets, including a water factory, hotel, and event centre.
Speaking during his visit, the EFCC Chairman said good governance is a possibility in Nigeria, and that Nigerians must enjoy the proceeds of accountability.
According to him, “This is a testimony that good governance is a possibility in Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given us a marching order to go and ensure delivery of good governance and he has provided the leadership directly and indirectly, by actions and by words.
“Never in the history of this country are we going to allow recovered assets to be relooted again. So, this is a testimony of accountability, it is a testimony of transparency, it is a testimony of judicious use of recovered assets.
“Nigerians deserve to enjoy the proceeds of accountability and that is why we decided to give this back to the people. After recovery, we feel the people of the immediate community must be the first beneficiaries. So, it is important for us to appreciate the leadership of Mr President because this has not happened before.
“Just yesterday, I was in Bayelsa State to commission some projects. That ordinarily was not supposed to be in the mandate of the EFCC, but because those projects were built with proceeds of crime; from the money recovered from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) strictly. And that is what we would be doing going forward.
“The President directed that we hand over this project in Kachia to the Ministry of Education, which we did openly at the Villa and I promised at that event that we will make sure that the facility is used for what the President has directed. And that is why we are here today to show Nigerians that Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia is a reality.
“So, let the naysayers who think nothing good can come out of the anti-corruption war in Nigeria know this. This is a testimony that the anti-corruption war is working and it is going to work for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving the EFCC under his leadership the opportunity to function well, just as he lauded Governor Uba Sani, Senator Sunday Katung, and other stakeholders for their commitment to the realisation of the Federal University.
Earlier, the Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, commended the management of the commission for yielding to the request to grant the forfeited Nok University to be used as Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.
“We are indeed grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and our Governor Senator Uba Sani for making the university become a reality, because for us, the establishment of this university is like a state creation to us.”
Also, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Barnabas Qurix, commended the EFCC Chairman for the visit and solicited necessary support that will enable the university to stand on its feet.