THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is responsible for investigating all financial crimes, such as money laundering, counterfeiting, advance fee fraud, contract scams and unauthorised cash transfers.
One of its duties also includes synchronising and applying all legislation on financial and economic crimes.
Some laws backing the EFCC are the Money Laundering Act of 1995, the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2004, and the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 1995.
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By what the EFCC does, Nigerians must have simple access to the commission to support its efforts to combat financial and economic crimes.
One of the ways to do this is by filing petitions.
The commission receives petitions on financial crimes, including bank fraud, advance fee fraud, money laundering, and economic sabotage.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a chat with The ICIR on Monday, January 29, explained how to write a petition to the commission.
To send the EFCC petitions, below are the essential guidelines you must follow as provided by the commission.
According to the anti-corruption agency, the petition should be addressed to the executive chairman of the EFCC.
- Having established that it is a financial or economic crime, you now decide whether you want it to be investigated at the corporate headquarters or any of our zonal commands.
- If the petition is directed to the corporate headquarters, it should be addressed to the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at 301/302 Institutions and Research District, Opposite the National Open University Jabi. Abuja.
- But if it is to the zonal headquarters, then you address it to the zonal command; for each of these commands, it is important to get the detailed address.
- It should include the contact details of the fellow that is involved. That will assist us in locating the fellow.
- The petition being sent must have a subject. For instance, “a petition against so and so person for so and so economic/financial crime.”
- You now begin to narrate what happened. The fact of the matter is, if money is involved, has there been an exchange of money? You say that and attach evidence showing that such a thing has happened.
- Having provided everything that has to do with the transaction, evidence should be attached.
- It must be signed. Every petition to the EFCC must be signed.
- It must be submitted in duplicate copies because we will retain one copy and acknowledge another for the petitioner to take away.
- It can also be sent through email at info@efcc.gov.ng.
- Petitions submitted via email must also be signed.
- A petition can also be anonymous, but it must include a phone number if certain documents need to be confirmed.
According to the commission, the petition can only be written to the EFCC if there is a presumption or an assumption that an economic or financial crime has occurred or a business transaction or contract has a colouration of economic and financial crime.
The commission said it welcomed issues within its mandate but would not entertain petitions on matters like husband and wife, children, and other issues outside its jurisdiction.
On land matters, the EFCC said, “Land matters can be sent to us because we have our land and property section because there may be some evidence of fraud or stealing under pretence even in land matters.”
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance
Many thanks for sharing your report with as many people like me interested in eradicating corruption.