NIGERIA AND THE POLITICS OF EFCC:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria was established in 2003 by President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, specifically through the EFCC Act of 2002, which was signed into law on December 13, 2002, and became effective in 2003.
The commission was established to combat financial crimes, corruption, and money laundering. It's primary purposes include, Investigating financial crimes, probing cases of corruption, embezzlement, and other financial offenses.
It equally has the mandate of prosecuting offenders: bringing perpetrators to justice and recovering stolen assets.
The institution was also established to prevent corruption, educating the public and promoting transparency in government dealings, as well as has the mandate of recovering stolen assets, retrieving looted funds and assets hidden abroad, with the aims to promote economic stability, good governance, and trust in institutions.
But, since inception, there have been allegations of political witch-hunt levelled against the EFCC, as Critics often refer to the institution as government tool for selective justice, which targets the opposition politicians, but ignores corruption cases involving party members. Critics equally cite lack of transparency, often manipulated in apaque investigations and persecutions, leading to concerns about witch-hunting.
Nevertheless, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has achieved significant milestones in combating corruption and financial crimes in Nigeria. According to Meta Artificial Intelligence platform, the organization has secured over 13,000 convictions since its establishment in 2003, with 4,111 convictions in 2024 alone. The commission has recovered over N853 billion and approximately $105 million in assets. It has investigated and prosecuted high-profile cases, including the detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over an alleged N432 billion corruption probe.
Yes, the commission's efforts have contributed to strengthening Nigeria's anti-corruption framework. Yet, the present day observers still allege that the government of President Bola Amed Tinubu may also be guilty of using the EFCC against the opposition party members, with the objective of securing political victory for the ruling party. This is an allegation that Nigerian citizens definitely require urgent clarification from the government.
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