The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has firmly denied allegations that its officials were involved in sharing forfeited assets linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and his associates.
In a statement released on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale refuted an online report claiming that the anti-graft agency had distributed the proceeds from forfeited assets. Oyewale criticized the report as baseless and misleading, asserting that the idea of sharing such assets is completely foreign to the agency’s operations.
“No official of the Commission was, or has ever been, involved in the ‘sharing’ of any proceeds of forfeited assets. The notion of ‘sharing of proceeds of forfeited assets’ is strange to the Commission,” the statement read.
Oyewale further dismissed the publication as an attempt to scandalize the EFCC, pointing out that it displayed a clear lack of understanding of the legal framework governing asset recovery and management. He emphasized that both the EFCC Act of 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act of 2022 clearly outline the procedures for handling forfeited assets, leaving no room for misappropriation.
“The sensational report, which was promoted ostensibly to scandalize the agencies mentioned, betrays the author’s ignorance of the existing asset recovery and management framework,” the statement continued. “There is no ‘platform’ for the ‘sharing of forfeited assets’; the notion itself is infantile.”
The EFCC also criticized the report for its lack of evidence, noting that the publication failed to provide details about when and how the alleged sharing occurred, or who was involved. “The truth is, it simply did not happen!” the statement declared.
The Commission warned against the spread of false information, labeling the report as irresponsible and a threat to the EFCC’s reputation. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the law and ensuring transparency in its operations.
