. . . Reiterates Need For POCA, NFIC Laws
Following the N1 trillion Naira recovered loot allegedly diverted by the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other unresolved cases of corruption hanging around the neck of the anti-graft Agency, a Civil Society Organisation, Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde and all top Management Staff of the Commission.
Walter Duru who made the call on behalf of MIIVOC while addressing newsmen in Calabar, on Wednesday, described as unfortunate, the “betrayal of public trust” by the anti-graft agency and called for its probe.
“It is sad that corruption is fighting corruption in Nigeria. How can a supposed anti-corruption agency be involved in the level of massive corruption we are seeing? How can the loot recovered from corrupt public office holders be re-looted? How can the EFCC be insulting the sensibility of Nigerians? With Lamorde’s continued stay in office as EFCC chairman, President Buhari is not serious with his so-much talked about anti- corruption war,” Duru said.
“Until Buhari sacks Lamorde, the anti-corruption war will be an exercise in futility. He should be sacked and the Commission totally overhauled. All Policemen in the Commission should be returned to regular Police duties.
“The Commission should be probed. This latest development justifies the need for a Proceeds of Crime Agency in Nigeria, which bill President Buhari has refused to assent to. The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Center Bill, passed by the 7th Assembly is also with the President. What is he waiting for? Enough of this deceit in Nigeria!”
Continuing, Duru also called for a probe of the activities of other anti-graft agencies in Nigeria. “The Code of Conduct Tribunal has been on holidays for about three years now. I do not also know what the Code of Conduct Bureau is doing. Is the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related offences Commission (ICPC) still there? I do not know. The President must act now!”
On the implications of the Proceeds of Crime Agency and Nigeria Financial Intelligence Center bills, Duru explained that the NFIC Bill seeks to establish a national agency that will be responsible for the receipt of information from financial institutions and designated non-financial institutions, analysis of the financial information for the purpose of turning the information into financial intelligence and dissemination of the financial intelligence to all law enforcement agencies.
“The law will ensure that the NFIC is not tied to any agency but will have adequate measures to build an independent financial intelligence system,” he added.
“The Proceeds of Crime Agency Bill which seeks to set up an Assets management Agency for Nigeria is another very important one. As you are aware, assets recovered from corrupt politicians in Nigeria cannot be accounted for. They are simply re-looted, thereby making a mess of the anti-corruption war.
“In some other cases, criminals are allowed to keep and enjoy the proceeds of their criminality. The POCA Bill seeks to establish a central Agency to manage the proceeds recovered from convicted criminals. NFIC and POCA are relevant legislations that will strengthen anti-corruption war in Nigeria and discourage looting of public treasury and when signed into law, will help to promote the rule of law, as it will strengthen the legislative framework against corruption.”
It would be recalled that EFCC has severally been accused of corruption, the latest for which it appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Wednesday, over alleged diversion of funds recovered from corrupt public office holders, amounting to over one Trillion Nigerian Naira.
