EFCC Boss Tasks Operatives on Timely Conclusion of Investigations

•Says agency has most inconclusive matters in world

•Demands inter agencies cooperation in implementing proceeds of crime act

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The acting Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. AbdulKarim Chukkol, yesterday, challenged operatives of the anti-graft agency to strive at concluding cases of corruption assigned to them for investigation.

Chukkol, gave the charge against the backdrop of the delay and inefficiency experienced in the prosecution of corruption cases by the Commission.

The acting Chairman spoke while declaring open a capacity building workshop on “The Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management), Act (POCA), 2022, and Allied Instruments.”

The workshop was organised by the EFCC in collaboration with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS).

Chukkol, who was represented by the Secretary of the EFCC, Mr. George Ekpungu, warned that, “when a matter continues to linger for so long, especially at the level of investigation, government doesn’t benefit, somebody else does.”

While emphasising that investigation should be started and concluded, he lamented that, “EFCC has arguably the most inconclusive matters in the world. You finish (an investigation), but there is not report telling you the end of it.”

He added: “We have to begin to change because we are arguably the most robust and one of the biggest organisations at the forefront of the fight against corruption and economic and financial crimes.

“You need to disgorge these criminals of their proceeds of crime. I am of the view that it does not matter to me if anyone is not in prison as long as you have made him suffer and disgrace him sufficiently by taking every proceeds of crime from them.

“Corrupt public officials take away our common wealth for their private use. If the stolen assets are recovered, I think our economy and what we represent will be better served and the international community will respect us much more.”

Besides, he challenged operatives to beam their searchlight on abandoned properties in the country, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where he said such properties represent unexplainable wealth.

“While the POCA is a powerful, well-intended and result-oriented legislation, the law cannot apply itself. It requires the informed, deliberate and proactive efforts of the relevant Law Enforcement Agencies which are listed in the Act,” he said.

Earlier, the President of the CSLS, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, in his remarks stated that the purpose of POCA was basically to remove the means and profit from crime.

While pointing out that the law may not be perfect yet, Akinseye-George argued that the Act remains one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of the country in combating corruption and financial crimes.

“Greed is what drives criminal behaviors such as trafficking in drugs, human beings or organs, extortion, corruption, abuse of office, economic and financial and other crimes.

“Many criminals do not fear imprisonment especially when their underlings can continue the crimes they orchestrate and they know that their financial gains will be available to them upon their release from prison.

“POCA is aimed at taking away the reward or profit of Criminal activity. Criminal proceeds are also what sustain criminal organisations and enable corrupt officials to continue to dominate and influence the socio-economic and political system of the country.

“POCA provides the mechanism for taking away the resources that make crime both possible and profitable”, he said.

In a welcome address, the Commandant of the EFCC Academy warned that law enforcement agencies would continue to trail criminals inasmuch as they continue to have access to resources.

He said, “unless you hit the evil man where it hurts most” (taking away their resources), they will not desist from crimes and criminalities.”