…To auction 150 forfeited houses
…Says commission working with INEC to stop vote buying during 2023 elections
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Thursday that it has so far recovered over N30 billion from the former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) Idris Ahmed.
Chairman of EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, said this at the weekly briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team.
Idris is currently being prosecuted by the EFCC over alleged N109 billion fraud.
Giving highlights of the achievements of the agency, Bawa said other recoveries include N134,33,759,574.25, $121,769,076.30, £21,020.00, €156,925.00, ¥21,350.00 and CFA300,000.00, among others.
“In the first full year of the current administration, the EFCC recorded only 195 convictions, that was 2016, in 2017, EFCC recorded 186, we went down; in 2018 we recorded 312 convictions, in 2019, we recorded 1280 convictions, it went up with over 312 percent; in 2022, we had COVID so we went down to 976, last year (2021) which was part of my administration, we recorded an unprecedented 2220 convictions and this year, even though it has not ended, we have so far recorded 3615 convictions, unprecedented.
“The figures showing convictions that the EFCC has secured this year alone, are more than the convictions the Commission has recorded from inception up to 2020. This is so because of the effort we have put in, the support the government is giving us and also the good working relationship that we have with the judiciary as well as so many things that we have been doing and the government has been backing us to do so as an institution,” he said.
He said approximately 150 homes across the country would be sold to potential buyers after the statewide auction of forfeited cars.
On the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Bawa said the EFCC is working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restrict vote buying and other corrupt tendencies during the election.
“We are doing quite a lot on this; we are working with INEC and a lot of people but ultimately we want to work with Nigerians. They should know the implications of selling their votes or accepting that their votes should be bought by these individuals.
“We hope and pray that our modest effort will be able to curtail this issue of vote buying when it comes to the elections in February and March,” he said.
Elaborating on the issue of governors under EFCC watch list, Bawa said: “Certainly we are watching a lot of them and a lot of Nigerians have also provided us with information here and there and we are watching, you can also help us with any piece of information you have.”
He said the EFCC has received many petitions on the affairs of most of the presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections.
