THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will target several departing governmental officials after May 29.
The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, provided this information in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust on Thursday, March 22.
Bawa revealed that at least two ministries are currently on the Commission’s radar for fraudulent operations bordering on procurement processes. However, he withheld the identities and the number of public officials who would be brought to justice according to the law.
“Currently, we’re investigating two ministries where double payments were made. In one of the ministries, the double payments, cumulatively, were about 20 contracts of over N4 billion.
“These were contracts that were done way back in 2018, and then some group of people, so bold, came up with the same narration.
“They moved the documents from the file, forged them, and then, of course, in conspiracy of some civil servants, raised vouchers and pay. How can that happen if we have digitalised procurement processes?” Bawa asked.
Bawa also reacted to calls for his sack by several civil society organisations.
“It is on record that I am the first sitting EFCC chairman to go to court and testify, not once, not twice or three times. We now have some groups of people that were paid; we know the people that are paying them, coming up with all sorts of gang-ups.
“We are following due process and the rule of law. The court had made a pronouncement, we have appealed that, and there is a stay of execution. What do you expect? We move on!” Bawa said
He pointed out that over the past few months, the EFCC had made more attempts than ever to institutionalise its operational activities.
He said massive arrests would be made in May, after which the Commission would commence prosecutions.
“And for those people that are not leaving in May, whenever they are leaving, we will be waiting for them to ensure that justice is done,” he added.
The ICIR reported that the EFCC is prosecuting high-profile cases nationwide in various courts.
The EFCC also made some high-profile arrests in 2022.
The arrested persons were alleged to be involved in one fraudulent activity or the other.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance
Who is not corrupt in the Nigerian political system? Let’s be truthful to ourselves. EFCC herself is corrupt. Go and arrest all those looters first. Why even set date,is it as from that time Corruption is going to start?