EFCC’s success in asset recovery sparks criticism from Sowore, co-travellers

Stanley Ihedigbo

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has achieved a significant milestone in its fight against corruption, successfully recovering a large number of assets.

However, this accomplishment has been met with criticism from Omoyele Sowore and his supporters

According to the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCÇ, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the commentaries of reform-minded Nigerians to the Commission’s painstaking efforts in securing the final forfeiture of the Estate to the Federal Government of Nigeria, are appreciated.

However, the denigration of such efforts by Sowore and his think-same and act-same, is unacceptable and grossly un-charitable.

The allegation of cover-up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate standlogicalic on the head in the sense that the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act which is a civil proceeding that allows for action-in-rem rather than action-in-personam.

The latter allows legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of unclaimed property. This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chatbot who is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the Estate.

The proceedings that yielded the final forfeiture of the Estate were products of actionable intelligence available to the Commission.

The company flagged by our investigations denied ownership of the Estate following publications made in leading national newspapers based on this, the Commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture, which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court granted on Monday, December 2, 2024.

The expectation of the EFCC from citizen Sowore is a patriotic appreciation of its efforts in securing such a landmark forfeitureShockingly, the activist is not concerned about the systemic lassitude and unhelpful permissiveness that allowed such a monstrous corrupt act in the first instance.

Nigerians should gear up more against lapses and loopholes in our system that continue to make the nation vulnerable to corrupt tendencies.

The EFCC will continue to safeguard the financial space of the nation against manipulators and organised brigandage.

It is important to note that the substantive criminal investigation on the matter continues. It would be unprofessional of the EFCC to go to town by mentioning names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties.

The EFCC is unwavering in its no-sacred-cow approach to every matter and together we will make Nigeria greater.