EFCC Secured 3,785 Convictions in 2022

•Bawa commends personnel

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said yesterday it secured a total of 3,785 convictions across all its commands in 2022.

The figure, which emerged from a review of the commission’s performance in the outgone year, shows a 70.5% improvement over its record for 2021(2220).

It also represents a 98.93% success rate in prosecution given that the commission lost only 41 cases, representing 1.07% within the period.

As it was in 2021, the Lagos Command of the Agency recorded the most convictions, 765, closely followed by the Ibadan Command with 573 convictions and the Port Harcourt Zonal Command, 567 while the headquarters recorded 314 convictions.

A statement by the commission said the conviction secured by the commission in 2022 was the highest by the EFCC since inception and sustained an upward trajectory which began shortly after the emergence of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Buhari administration was elected in 2015 on a tripodal  promise of anti-corruption drive, economic recovery and security.

“In 2015, EFCC recorded a total of 103 convictions. This shot to 195 convictions in 2016, the first full year in office of the Buhari administration.

“The figure improved to 312 in 2018, 1,280 in 2019, dropped slightly to 976 convictions in 2020, the year of Covid-19, then moved up to 2220 in 202”, the agency said.

It said the percentile improvement of the EFCC convictions in the seven years of the Buhari administration from 103 to 3785, was over 3574.8%.

Speaking on the performance, the Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, commended the personnel of the commission for their industry and dedication despite the challenges of criminal prosecution in court.

He assured that the EFCC would continue to motivate all categories of staff for greater efficiency through capacity development and other incentives.