Not All EFCC Recoveries Belong to FG, Says Bawa, Vows to Reopen Cases against Ex-Governors
Not all recoveries made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) belong to the federal government, the commission’s boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has clarified.
Bawa said on Thursday while briefing newsmen at the presidential villa that the commission has made recoveries for victims of criminals and they can be individuals, local government, state government, federal government, corporate entities whether in Nigeria or outside Nigeria.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to clarify issues. There are a number of recoveries that the EFCC has made over the years but is not all recoveries made that belong to the federal government.
“We have made recoveries for victims of criminals and they can be individuals, local government, state government, federal government, corporate entities whether in Nigeria or outside Nigeria.
“There are also recoveries that are indirect recoveries. Just a couple of weeks back, we recovered $100 million for the Nigeria Ports Authority but the monies were paid into the account of NPA but through our efforts.
“Am I not going to record that we have recovered such an amount for NPA? Are you going to see it in the EFCC recovered account with the CBN? No.
“There are recoveries that are made directly into the EFCC account. It is through systems and processes, there is Department of asset forfeiture and recovery management department in EFCC responsible for collating all the data regarding recovered assets, assets on interest forfeiture and assets on final forfeiture as well as their location and of course their management.”
The EFCC boss further explained that from the time he took over, “we have recovered over N6 billion, over $161 million, over £13,000, €1,730, 200 Canadian dollars, CFA 373,000, ¥8,430.
“We have recovered 30 real estates, one carpet, 13 electronics, one farm land, one factory, two motorcycles, one filling station and about 32 automobiles.
He said former state governors and other top government functionaries who have financial crimes cases hanging over their necks for years are to brace up to face prosecution.
The ex-governors who may face fresh trial include Orji Uzor Kali (Abia State), Peter Odili (Rivers State), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina State), Saminu Turaki and Sule Lamido (Jigawa State), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu State), Ikedi Ohakim (Imo State), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa State), among others.
Bawa indicated that the former governors would be facing fresh trials, while the commission would be prosecuting 800 new corruption cases.
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