Task before the new EFCC boss

On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Mr Ola Olukoyede as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) amidst controversy on whether the nominee was qualified to occupy the position based on provisions of the Commission’s Act and the silence from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration on the fate of his predecessor, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who had at that time been in detention for over 120 days.

Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act stipulates that a chairman “must be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent, possess not less than 15 years’ experience”. Olukoyede, on the other hand, is a lawyer with 22 years’ experience. He served as chief of staff to the executive chairman of the EFCC between 2016 and 2018 and secretary to the commission from 2018 to 2023.

The Presidency, in a statement announcing the nomination of Olukoyede, said due process was followed and he was qualified to hold the position. However, a human rights activist, Maxwell Opera, has asked an Abuja high court to set aside the appointment since it breached Section 2 of the EFCC Act 2004. The matter is yet to be decided.

It is sad that since its inception, the commission’s leadership has always found itself in one controversy or the other. It is also unfortunate that none of its heads, since inception, has left the office without one issue or the other. This situation has, over the years, affected its ability to discharge its duties effectively and gain the confidence of Nigerians.

The situation was made worse by the commission’s inability to successfully prosecute people in high places accused of corruption. It is on record that some cases have dragged on for more than eight years. Some of the cases were poorly prosecuted, leading to the culprits being let off the hook by the courts.

Often, the commission is accused of targeting only political opponents of the sitting administration, further denting its image. Similarly, officials of the commission have in some instances been accused of corruption, a development that diminishes the trust of Nigerians in its ability to execute its duties.

In its 2022 report, the EFCC said it had secured a total of 3,785 convictions, which showed a 70.5 per cent improvement over the previous year (2021).

However, many of its critics observed that most of its success was largely in the prosecution of ordinary Nigerians who ran afoul of the law.

What this means is that the new EFCC chairman has the herculean task of redeeming the image of the commission and putting it on a proper course to discharge its duties effectively. More importantly, he must regain the confidence of Nigerians, who are desirous of an end to corruption, especially in high places, and bring the culprits to justice. Nigerians are in consensus that corruption has been the bane of the development of the country and that it must be tamed.

We are encouraged by the statements made by Mr Olukoyede during his appearance before the Senate that he intends to be impartial in the discharge of his duties. This is indeed important if he is to gain the confidence of Nigerians.

But more importantly, we welcome his plan to focus more on preventing corruption rather than enforcement.

We also agree with the new EFCC boss that there is a need to look at the root causes of corruption, especially among officials of the government who are often caught dipping their hands into the treasury. We align with his statement that, “We must create an atmosphere to make sure that people have choices. If I don’t steal money, can I afford to train my children in school to a good standard? If I don’t steal money, can I buy a car after I have worked for five years?’’

Daily Trust agrees that these are some of the major issues that must be addressed if we are to successfully have a corruption-free public service.

Beyond this, the new EFCC helmsman must work to enlist every Nigerian in the fight against corruption. He must work against the present public perception that fighting corruption is the sole responsibility of the government. This he can do by making the activities of the commission more transparent. He must also ensure the conclusion of the investigation and prosecution of all major cases, some of which have been pending for too long. This will build the confidence of Nigerians in its work and open doors for cooperation.

In achieving this, he must also strive to be independent and ensure that the staff of the commission discharge their duties in full compliance with the law.

The EFCC is central to the quest of Nigerians to ensure a corruption-free country for its progress. This must be ensured under any circumstances.