Mohammed Shosanya
The Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of about 107 suspects that were arraigned for financial crimes in the last five years.
The Commission disclosed this at a Workshop for Journalists in Benue State on ‘Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes’, organised by the EFCC on Thursday.
In a paper titled: “Challenges of Prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes in Nigeria”, the Assistant Commander of EFCC (ACE), 1, Legal and Prosecution Department, Ramiah Ikhanaede who disclosed this however observed that about 3,758 suspects have been convicted nationwide.
He explained that in Makurdi Zonal Command alone out of the 107 prosecutions, the Commission secured the conviction of 43 suspects in 2023 and it was still counting.
Ikhanaede explained that in 2019, the Commission secured 16 convictions; 9 convictions in 2020; 39 convictions in 2022 and the highest convictions recorded was 43 convictions in 2023; that is from January to September, 2023
He said that although the Commission may not be where it is expected to be, it has recorded major successes since the ratification of the Unified Nation’s Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
He lamented that some societal challenges have acted as impediments to the fight against financial crimes in the country among other impediments like economical and statutory challenges.
Acting Executive Chairman, EFCC, Abdulkarim Chukkol, explained that the workshop was designed to upgrade the skills of journalists.
Represented at the event by the Makurdi Zonal Commander, Friday Ebelo, the EFCC Acting Chairman noted that while Nigeria’s anti-money laundering framework has been strengthened, EFCC has also reinvigorated a key component of it’s framework, the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), to drive to fight money laundering.
He said: “The impact of the Commission on the economic life of the nation is widely acknowledged. Through the Commission’s enforcement activities, recoveries running into several billions of Naira have been recorded and the country’s anti-money laundering framework strengthened.
“A key component of this framework is the reinvigorated Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), which is driving the fight against money laundering and illicit financial flows among Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs).
“On this score, I would like the media to educate family members and friends of politicians and others holding political offices that they run the risk of going to jail if they allow their companies or bank accounts to be used to launder proceeds of illegal activities.
“Under the Money Laundering Act, 2022 family members and close allies of politicians and public office holders, including top civil servants, are now classified as Politically Exposed Persons (PEP).
“The EFCC is determined to ensure that anyone who steals from the public treasury and all those who assist them to do so under whatever guise, are brought to justice and ignorance of the law will not be an excuse,” Chukkol warned.
