Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (Efcc) And The Fight Against Corruption In Nigeria: An Assessment
Chapter One
Preface
Background Of The Study
Close to a decade after the induction of the profitable and fiscal Crimes Commission( EFCC), the war against corruption in Nigeria continues to rage with theanti-graft body easily not having the upper hand. The bulk of the blame has been put on the Federal Government for not allowing the Commission to serve without overdue hindrance. It’s believed in some diggings that utmost of those who should be arrested, delved and fulfilled by the EFCC are enjoying protection from the Federal Government and people hardly get hounded by agents of the commission unless they’ve fallen out of favour with the Government. The leadership of the Commission has changed a number of times but the system with which it pursues its accreditation has remained the same over the times. numerous had questioned the fictitiousness of the intention behind the commission right from its first many times as it was largely seen as a tool by the Federal Government to witch- quest real or perceived opponents.
Though the fear of the EFCC was the morning of wisdom in the Obasanjo times, it came egregious that the Malam Nuhu Ribadu- led commission targeted substantially those who dared to envenom the President. Though back also, the EFCC was seen to be working, though not without some excrescencies. For case, Rotimi Amaechi faced fire when the EFCC brought up charges of fiscal impropriety against him just before the 2007 choices and he was dropped as the guardianship seeker of his party. It was latterly made public that it was because the powers that be weren’t favourably disposed to his ambition to rule Rivers State. Peter Odili too aspired for the PDP’s presidential ticket in 2007. It was an open secret that former President Olusegun Obasanjo used the EFCC to frustrate that ambition.
One of the heirs of Obasanjo’s effective operation of the EFCC was mastermind Segun Oni, the deposed Governor of Ekiti State. Though he came third in the shadow choices, during a meeting with the three top contenders for the PDP’s ticket, the President brought out a train which he claimed was the EFCC’s dossier on Yinka Akerele who came covers at the primaries. There and also, Obasanjo in his wisdom decided that Oni should be chosen as the party’s seeker. He was incontinently told to go and flag off his crusade in Ado Ekiti. Joshua Chibi Dariye, a Governor was arrested in London with loads of plutocrat Dariye set up his way to Nigeria after being granted bail. Not long after, Nuhu Ribadu addressed the Plateau State House of Assembly and pronto, Dariye was impeached He challenged his indictment and was reinstated by the Court, with the verdict being upheld by the Supreme Court. After the expiration of his term in May, 2007, he was arraigned at Federal High Court, Guda on a charge of stealing over N 700 million. He was granted bail and moment, Dariye is a Assemblyman of the Federal Republic.
The situation in Ekiti state was kindly analogous. No bone ever believed Fayose could be impeached by the House of Assembly in which he controlled the maturity. On one occasion, he opened a portion of the Government House for his guests and there the House of Assembly was holding a meeting around 1a.m. After the arrest of some of his musketeers and associates over a failed flesh design, the EFCC swooped on the Ekiti State House of Assembly and after several visits to the EFCC installations in Lagos and Abuja, the lawmakers were made to understand that the commission had records of the finances they collected for constituency systems and how the finances were utilised. Not long after, the lawmakers backed down and the vote of absolute confidence before passed on the Governor gave way. He was impeached along with his deputy and his case started in court on December 17, 2006. He was indicted of sacking about N1.2 billion.
So far, Lucky Igbinedion is the only former Governor who has paid back part of his spoil. While facing a 191- count charge of plutocrat laundering, Igbinedion decided for a plea bargain and he paid back N4.3 billion in a case that was determined in 2008. To numerous, the EFCC was simply playing to the gallery as it continued to drag people to court and the number of persuasions attained didn’t show that it was indeed winning the war against graft. The cases of Bode George as well as the means penalty of Tafa Balogun and Dipreieye Alamieyesegha are the major achievements the commission can boast of.
The commission criticized the Administrative for snooping in its conditioning through the office of the Attorney- General of the Federation. Bails have allegedly been secured for people who were arrested by the Commission through the Attorney General. And at the end of the day, the country ends up being the clunker, if an agency that’s funded by the Government is averted from carrying out its functions by agents of the same government. Internal politics also affected the quick and active execution of a lot of cases. Each time a new Chairman comes on board, there’s bound to be the redeployment of officers believed to be in the structure erected by the president’s forerunners. The transfer of a lot of investigators has reportedly done a lot to affect the cases that were handled by similar officers.
In conclusion, this study aimed at looking at the EFCC and their fight against corruption in Nigeria( A won or lost battle). It suggested that the commission should explore theinter-nations specialized co-operation on corruption, to develop medium that would help Nigeria have a system that discourages outright stealing of public fund, and develop ananti-corruption war that reckoned on forensic substantiation, well- trained labor force and free of gratuitous difficulties. EFFC should, this time- around, effectively use the vittles in the National Assembly Act 2004, establishing it. For case, Part III, section 12, subsection 1( c) and subsection( 2), which handed for establishment of Research Unit; and any commission to help the commission, are good avenues for the commission to explore to bring itself at par with Nigerians prospects. still, the stylish armament the new jefe of EFFC have, is, adherence to rule of law, because with the current exacting stage on adherence to Rule of Law, by President Yar’Adua, any casualness of Rule of Law won’t only shoot one to kuru, it may shoot one to Kirikiri.
Statement Of The Problem
Corruption is one of the most wide social immoralities in Nigeria; it’s seen as a main trouble in the public and private sphere. Corruption undermines fragile popular systems by fuelling popular disillusionment with politics and politicians; it also undermines trust and confidence, which are necessary for upholding and development of sustainable profitable and social order. Corruption isn’t only peculiar to Nigeria, it’s a global miracle. still,anti-corruption war in Nigeria is like a gun- war being fought with curvatures and arrows, it’s a war that can turn its fighters into victims and those being fought into icons , it’s a war that both sides manipulate to gain particular and political points, it’s a ‘ world ’ of difficulties, politics, expansive debates and high public prospects.
EFCC is the central institution ladened with the responsibility of fighting Nigeria’santi-corruption war. The Commission and its masters were lately featuring in the news in positive as well as negative filmland, both at original and transnational media. EFCC and its protagonists hold the view that, the Commission is on the right track; while its antagonists and some public observers have observed some setbacks in the manner the Commission is executing its charge.
Exploration Questions
The following are some of the questions which this study intends to answer
i) what’s the frequence of EFCC and their fight against corruption in Nigeria?
ii) what are the factors responsible EFCC and their fight against corruption in Nigeria?
iii) what are the ways in which the EFCC can win their fight against corruption i
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