HammerTimes News Online

Tag: #EFCC

  • EFCC steps up action against vote buying, deploys teams

    By Isaac Aregbesola

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has deployed its personnel across the states where Governorship and State Assembly elections  will take place on Saturday.

    The EFCC Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    He said the move was to ensure that the elections were devoid of financial malpractice, especially inducement of voters.

    According to him, the teams led by senior officers began arriving at their assigned locations earlier on Friday.

    He said a number of them, on arrival, held consultation with the other security agencies involved in election security and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Uwajaren said that the team for Ebonyi State arrived Abakaliki and met with the Commissioner of Police at the State Headquarters, to register their presence.

    He said they, thereafter, proceeded to the State INEC Headquarters for a brief meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

    ”Officers of Kaduna Zonal Command led by ACEII Mustapha Abubakar who are on election monitoring mission to Niger State also met the Commissioner of Police, J.A Ogundele, to register their presence in the state.

    ”They also visited the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Niger State, Ahmed Yusha’u Garki.

    ”Officers of the Abuja Zonal Command on election monitoring duty in Nasarawa State, led by ACE II Adeniyi Adebayo, also registered their presence at the Nigeria Police Command Lafia,” he said.

    According to him, they also had a brief meeting with the Commissioner of Police.

    The spokesman said that the brief of the teams was to deter vote trading and other financial malpractice that could compromise the integrity of the elections.

    He said that the Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had, in a message to the teams before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, charged them to exhibit a high sense of integrity and professionalism in carrying out their duties.

    “You are out on a national assignment and I expect you to conduct yourselves responsibly in line with our core values of professionalism, integrity and courage.

    ”You have a responsibility to ensure that this election is devoid of financial malpractices, especially inducement of voters.

     ”The attention of the world is focused on Nigeria and we must do what is necessary to ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections, “ he quoted Bawa as saying. (NAN)

  • Protest: Why CSOs call for removal EFCC boss

    Scores of supporters under the Coalition of Anti-Corruption Organisation have called for the removal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chairman, Mr AbdulRasheed Bawa.

    According to them, the call for removal from office  is over alleged consistent disobedience of court orders.

    According to reports, the call was made during a protest on Saturday in Lagos.

    The coalition, comprising about 50 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), was joined by senior lawyers including Cletus Okedube, Johnson Areola and George Sanda, among other notable activists.

    Mr Ayodeji Ologun, Spokesperson for the Transparency and Accountability Group, spoke on behalf of the anti-corruption CSOs,  and described gathering as  protest against “Politicisation of the EFCC, Disobedience of Court Orders and Infringement on Human Rights of Nigerians”.

    They called on President Muhammadu Buhari to also overhaul the anti-graft commission in order to recover its past glory and for a better Nigeria.

    He said the need to press home their grievances strongly was founded on the realisation that some anti-democratic elements were drawing the civil societies back in the fight against corruption.

    Ologun advised the commission’s Chairman to obey court rulings being at the helm of affairs adding that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

    He said: “You cannot be in charge of taming corruption in the county and be a culprit of disobeying court order.

    “One of the essence of leadership is obeying the tenets of democracy and the rule of law and key to that is court ruling”.

    Ologun said EFCC under Mr Bawa allegedly had the penchant for disobedience of lawful court orders and had politicised activities.

    According to him, Bawa has been allegedly convicted to prison terms on about three different occasions within the space of months for clear breach of the extant orders of the court.

    “We must at this point make it clear that any form of disobedience to lawful orders of the court is not only an act of monumental corruption but also indicates a dangerous signal to the institutions of our democracy and the memories of those who sacrificed their lives for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.

    “For the EFCC to recover its past glory, it must retrace its steps with the President overhauling its leadership.

    “This culture of impunity continues to ridicule Nigeria in the comity of nations and sabotage efforts at attracting foreign direct investment.

    “It is even more worrisome that this blatant disobedience of valid court orders is coming on the heels of efforts by stakeholders to galvanise more support for the war against corruption in the country.

    “We, hereby, demand that  immediate steps be taken to ensure that EFCC does not derail his avowed commitment to the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights of citizens by removing Mr Bawa as the chairman of the commission,” he said.

    Similarly, Mr Olufemi Lawson, Convener of the coalition comprising about 50 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and Chairman, Centre for Public Accountability, called on the media to be partners in the struggle for a better society by resisting intimidation.

    “We will not relent until the Commission begins to toe the path of the rule of law.

    “We are glad that the media has refused to compromise and we will continue this struggle until the President overhauls the EFCC,” he said.

    On his part, Mr Declan Ihehaire, of the Activists for Good Governance, said if Bawa had been committed to prison for disobeying Court order, he must go to prison.

    Leaders of the anti-corruption CSOs that began the call for the removal of Bawa included the Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran; Executive Director, Zero Graft Centre, Kolawole Sanchez-Jude; Chairman, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, Toyin Raheem.

    Others are: Executive Director, Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemi Lawson; Ahmed Balogun of Media Rights Concern, Ologun Ayodeji,
    Transparency and Accountability Group; Declan Ihehaire, Activists for Good Governance; and Ochiaga Jude, Centre for Ethics and Good Governance, among many others.

  • EFCC secures 3,328 convictions in 11 months – Chairman

    EFCC has secured 3,328 convictions against financial crimes in 2022, its chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa has said.

    Its spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren stated in Abuja on Friday that Bawa made the pronouncement in Port Harcourt, while declaring open a workshop on Financial Crimes Reporting held for newsmen in the Niger Delta.

    Bawa also told the workshop that the EFCC also got a court order on a former Accountant-General of the Federation to forfeit N755 million recovered from him to the Federal Government.

    Uwujaren quoted Bawa as saying that the “EFCC also recovered three luxury properties from retired Col. Bello Fadile, former aide to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    “We also secured interim forfeiture of 40 assets in Nigeria, the United States of America, London and Dubai belonging to former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

    “Two weeks earlier, another court issued a final forfeiture order of two properties within Abuja belonging to Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Minister of Petroleum Resources.

    “These are just a few of the assets recovered between January and Nov. 18, 2022.’’

  • EFCC secures 3,328 convictions in 11 months – Chairman

    EFCC has secured 3,328 convictions against financial crimes in 2022, its chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa has said.

    Its spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren stated in Abuja on Friday that Bawa made the pronouncement in Port Harcourt, while declaring open a workshop on Financial Crimes Reporting held for newsmen in the Niger Delta.

    Bawa also told the workshop that the EFCC also got a court order on a former Accountant-General of the Federation to forfeit N755 million recovered from him to the Federal Government.

    Uwujaren quoted Bawa as saying that the “EFCC also recovered three luxury properties from retired Col. Bello Fadile, former aide to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    “We also secured interim forfeiture of 40 assets in Nigeria, the United States of America, London and Dubai belonging to former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

    “Two weeks earlier, another court issued a final forfeiture order of two properties within Abuja belonging to Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Minister of Petroleum Resources.

    “These are just a few of the assets recovered between January and Nov. 18, 2022.’’

  • Oronsaye faults EFCC’s mode of investigation

    Mr Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation, on Thursday, faulted the mode adopted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the investigation of alleged pension fraud brought against him.

    Oronsaye made his position known whole being cross examined at the Federal High Court, Abuja by EFCC lawyer, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe.

     He claimed that the anti-graft agency made some wrong conclusions in the way and manner the allegations levelled against him were investigated.

    Oronsaye explained that this was so because the EFCC chose to pick only payment vouchers to investigate rather than a whole file in the contract award and by this,  the agency could not arrive at just conclusions.

    According to him,  the award of contract and running of government is a process involving files and the EFCC ought to have worked on the entire files rather than picking only payment vouchers to investigate.

    He insisted that as head of service, he was not a signatory to the pension account of the Federal Government.

    The former head of service told the court that his signature appeared in some payment vouchers as an endorser and not as an authorizing signatory as erroneously concluded by the EFCC.

    He told the court that movement of money from pension account to the contingency account was at the instance of former President Goodluck Jonathan because the account belonged to the presidency.

    When asked to name signatories to the contingency account in the presidency, Oronsaye insisted that it was a classified account that belonged to the president.

    He said it was only the president who knew the signatories to the account and  that the account was operated in a manner approved by the presidency.

    “If you are talking of my involvement in the movement of money from pension account to contingency account, I can tell you that I am not a signatory to the pension account.

    “I only acted on the instructions of the president.”

    On his endorser signature, Oronsaye maintained that as head of service, he had oversight functions on everything in the office as long as such oversight was not for personal benefits.

    Answering a question on the threshold of money that could be withdrawn by the permanent secretary in the office of the head of service, he clarified that the federal government policy put a routine expenditure for a permanent secretary at N5million.

    He also explained that such threshold was different from payment for government contract.

    The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed Friday for further hearing in the fraud charge against Oronsaye

  • Oronsaye faults EFCC’s mode of investigation

    Mr Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation, on Thursday, faulted the mode adopted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the investigation of alleged pension fraud brought against him.

    Oronsaye made his position known whole being cross examined at the Federal High Court, Abuja by EFCC lawyer, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe.

     He claimed that the anti-graft agency made some wrong conclusions in the way and manner the allegations levelled against him were investigated.

    Oronsaye explained that this was so because the EFCC chose to pick only payment vouchers to investigate rather than a whole file in the contract award and by this,  the agency could not arrive at just conclusions.

    According to him,  the award of contract and running of government is a process involving files and the EFCC ought to have worked on the entire files rather than picking only payment vouchers to investigate.

    He insisted that as head of service, he was not a signatory to the pension account of the Federal Government.

    The former head of service told the court that his signature appeared in some payment vouchers as an endorser and not as an authorizing signatory as erroneously concluded by the EFCC.

    He told the court that movement of money from pension account to the contingency account was at the instance of former President Goodluck Jonathan because the account belonged to the presidency.

    When asked to name signatories to the contingency account in the presidency, Oronsaye insisted that it was a classified account that belonged to the president.

    He said it was only the president who knew the signatories to the account and  that the account was operated in a manner approved by the presidency.

    “If you are talking of my involvement in the movement of money from pension account to contingency account, I can tell you that I am not a signatory to the pension account.

    “I only acted on the instructions of the president.”

    On his endorser signature, Oronsaye maintained that as head of service, he had oversight functions on everything in the office as long as such oversight was not for personal benefits.

    Answering a question on the threshold of money that could be withdrawn by the permanent secretary in the office of the head of service, he clarified that the federal government policy put a routine expenditure for a permanent secretary at N5million.

    He also explained that such threshold was different from payment for government contract.

    The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed Friday for further hearing in the fraud charge against Oronsaye

  • EFCC sensitises CSOs on financial crimes in Sokoto


    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sensitised Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Sokoto State on money laundering and illicit financial transactions in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised in collaboration with the Coalition of CSOs in yhe state to ensure that financial transactions were done in a decent and sanitised manner.

    In his address Mr Aliyu Hassan, the EFCC Director, Sokoto Zonal Office, appreciated the coalition for collaborating with the commission toward addressing the prolonged challenges in financial transactions.

    He said that EFCC was in the state for development, adding that  its Special Control Unit of Money Laundering (SCUML). was established in 2005, to fight illicit financial transactions and other relevant financial crimes.

    “Since its establishment, the unit has cut across all sectors of the economy making sure that financial regulations were not truncated at whatever level of transaction,” he said.

    He urged the public to be cautious and watchful about financial transactions as well as remain very much vigilant on who were their associates.

    In his remarks, Alhaji Hassan Maccido, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, assured of the state government;s commitment to ensure financial prudence between NGOs and Donor Agencies.

    He charged the NGOs to seek for knowledge of their regulators on how they should operate and be subjected to registration.

    Maccido identified EFCC as one of the agencies of Federal Government that have continued to be respected following their commitment.

    “EFCC ahould stand firm to ensure that financial dealings are done lawfully based on Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2022 and other financial regulations,” he yrged

    Earlier, the Guest Speaker Prof. Tukur Baba of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, tasked NGOs and CSOs to work together in ”checkmating government circle on how things were done.

    “Our challenges in Nigeria were based on number of illicit financial transactions and money laundering conspired by few among us.”

    Baba further urged NGOs not to be over dependent on Donor Agencies, saying, “You should rise to stand on your feet and independent. This is the only way to achieve your collective desired objectives.”

    The Coalition of Sokoto CSOs Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Shuni, said that the conference was in continuation of the EFCC week’s activities.

    He urged the participants to intensify efforts and increase their performances through capacity building of members on self regulatory framework of their group members. (NAN)

  • EFCC sensitises CSOs on financial crimes in Sokoto


    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sensitised Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Sokoto State on money laundering and illicit financial transactions in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised in collaboration with the Coalition of CSOs in yhe state to ensure that financial transactions were done in a decent and sanitised manner.

    In his address Mr Aliyu Hassan, the EFCC Director, Sokoto Zonal Office, appreciated the coalition for collaborating with the commission toward addressing the prolonged challenges in financial transactions.

    He said that EFCC was in the state for development, adding that  its Special Control Unit of Money Laundering (SCUML). was established in 2005, to fight illicit financial transactions and other relevant financial crimes.

    “Since its establishment, the unit has cut across all sectors of the economy making sure that financial regulations were not truncated at whatever level of transaction,” he said.

    He urged the public to be cautious and watchful about financial transactions as well as remain very much vigilant on who were their associates.

    In his remarks, Alhaji Hassan Maccido, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, assured of the state government;s commitment to ensure financial prudence between NGOs and Donor Agencies.

    He charged the NGOs to seek for knowledge of their regulators on how they should operate and be subjected to registration.

    Maccido identified EFCC as one of the agencies of Federal Government that have continued to be respected following their commitment.

    “EFCC ahould stand firm to ensure that financial dealings are done lawfully based on Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2022 and other financial regulations,” he yrged

    Earlier, the Guest Speaker Prof. Tukur Baba of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, tasked NGOs and CSOs to work together in ”checkmating government circle on how things were done.

    “Our challenges in Nigeria were based on number of illicit financial transactions and money laundering conspired by few among us.”

    Baba further urged NGOs not to be over dependent on Donor Agencies, saying, “You should rise to stand on your feet and independent. This is the only way to achieve your collective desired objectives.”

    The Coalition of Sokoto CSOs Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Shuni, said that the conference was in continuation of the EFCC week’s activities.

    He urged the participants to intensify efforts and increase their performances through capacity building of members on self regulatory framework of their group members. (NAN)

  • EFCC sensitises CSOs on financial crimes in Sokoto


    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sensitised Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Sokoto State on money laundering and illicit financial transactions in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised in collaboration with the Coalition of CSOs in yhe state to ensure that financial transactions were done in a decent and sanitised manner.

    In his address Mr Aliyu Hassan, the EFCC Director, Sokoto Zonal Office, appreciated the coalition for collaborating with the commission toward addressing the prolonged challenges in financial transactions.

    He said that EFCC was in the state for development, adding that  its Special Control Unit of Money Laundering (SCUML). was established in 2005, to fight illicit financial transactions and other relevant financial crimes.

    “Since its establishment, the unit has cut across all sectors of the economy making sure that financial regulations were not truncated at whatever level of transaction,” he said.

    He urged the public to be cautious and watchful about financial transactions as well as remain very much vigilant on who were their associates.

    In his remarks, Alhaji Hassan Maccido, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, assured of the state government;s commitment to ensure financial prudence between NGOs and Donor Agencies.

    He charged the NGOs to seek for knowledge of their regulators on how they should operate and be subjected to registration.

    Maccido identified EFCC as one of the agencies of Federal Government that have continued to be respected following their commitment.

    “EFCC ahould stand firm to ensure that financial dealings are done lawfully based on Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2022 and other financial regulations,” he yrged

    Earlier, the Guest Speaker Prof. Tukur Baba of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, tasked NGOs and CSOs to work together in ”checkmating government circle on how things were done.

    “Our challenges in Nigeria were based on number of illicit financial transactions and money laundering conspired by few among us.”

    Baba further urged NGOs not to be over dependent on Donor Agencies, saying, “You should rise to stand on your feet and independent. This is the only way to achieve your collective desired objectives.”

    The Coalition of Sokoto CSOs Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Shuni, said that the conference was in continuation of the EFCC week’s activities.

    He urged the participants to intensify efforts and increase their performances through capacity building of members on self regulatory framework of their group members. (NAN)

  • Alleged N80bn Fraud: EFCC Arrests Accountant-General

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris over an N80 billion fraud. 

    EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren confirmed his arrest in a statement issued on Monday evening.

    He said Idris was arrested after failing to honour the commission’s invitations to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent act.

    “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2022, arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80 billion( Eighty Billion Naira only).

    “The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates,” Uwujaren said.

    According to the EFCC, the funds were laundered via real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.