The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken a stance against corruption within its ranks after terminating the employment of two officials for engaging in corrupt practices in the country.
EFCC said that the move would prove to Nigerians that the anti-graft agency adhere strictly to its principles and does not encourage financial crimes.
The Chairman of the agency, Ola Olukoyede, who disclosed this yesterday during the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference organized by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja, stated that the staff were found guilty of extortion and other corrupt practices.
While noting that the two staff members were dismissed due to allegations of corruption, Olukoyede stressed that the era of 150 count charges is over in EFCC.
The chairman added that the mandate is that counts should not be more than 15, but water-tight.
Olukoyede emphasized that the EFCC will not tolerate corruption among its personnel, stating that those found guilty will not only be dismissed but also prosecuted.
He said, “So many other reforms are going on; the issue of our staff and all of that. Just two weeks ago, I had cause to dismiss two staff. You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty. He who comes to equity, your hands must also be cleaned.
“And I say I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them because that is what we prosecute others for.
“So you will see that; we are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed.
“If an EFCC staff will not be able to stand publicly with his two hands up and challenge the entire public; whose goat have I collected? Whose bottle of water have I taken illegitimately?
“And I have said this to Nigerians; who has ever given me one kobo in the course of my work, come out and say it. I stand to be challenged.
“I can’t be easily influenced by things like that. That’s why we must make up our minds to work together to do the right thing.
“Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out. Again, there are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas.”
“I can’t stand here and say all is perfect. As many as you see, report them to us and we will do justice,” he said.
Olukoyede disclosed he was once subjected to investigation for two years as EFCC secretary.
“I am not just sitting there as chairman of EFCC. I have been on the other side. I have been subjected to investigation myself for two years. So I know what it means to subject people to investigations.
“My major objective is to use the instrumentality of this mandate to stimulate the economy and to also follow the rule of law,” he said.
Noting that he welcomes constructive criticism, Olukoyede said, “I have never been averse to that. But let us do it responsibly. What do we benefit from running down our institutions?”
The chairman said if anyone notices something that the agency is doing wrong, “We will sit down and I will explain some reformed agenda we are carrying out.”
“Upon my resumption of office, we have put some reformed agenda in place. We have reviewed our arrest and detention policy. I have had cause to investigate a whole ministry; minister, directors and all of that without detaining anybody overnight.
“And I got all the information I needed and the matter is going on fine without detaining a single soul. But that does not preclude that if there is the need to detain, we do not detain. We have also had cause to equip all our interrogation rooms in compliance with court judgment.”
“Also, I need to let you know that the era of a 100-count charge, 150-count charge, 85-count charge is gone forever in EFCC,” he said.
Olukoyede said he had given a standing directive that no prosecution should be more than a 15-count charge.
“If your case is water tight…, that is why I will never rush to court until I am sure of my proof of evidence.
“I vet case files myself, particularly high-profile cases and the lawyer must give me a draft of the charge. We will look at it together, compare with my proof of evidence, and sleep over it before I give my go-ahead.
“If we are losing a case, it shouldn’t be on grounds of lack of diligent prosecution. If there are other technical issues, fine. But I will be sure that I have done my job and it’s done in such a way that I can defend long after I leave office,” he said.
