EFCC Denies looting Forfeited Funds by Emefiele’s Allies

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied reports that some of its officers shared the funds forfeited by associates of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

According to the report, a total sum of ₦54 billion was forfeited and was allegedly shared among some ministers, aides of the president, and officers of the anti-graft commission.

In a statement on Wednesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said no official of the Commission has ever been involved in the sharing of any proceeds from forfeited assets.

He said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission denounces as false the report by the online news platform, which alleges that ₦54 billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was ‘shared’ among certain ministers and aides of President Tinubu, in collaboration with EFCC officials.

“No official of the Commission was or has ever been, involved in the ‘sharing’ of any proceeds from forfeited assets. The notion of ‘sharing of proceeds from forfeited assets’ is alien to the Commission.”

Oyewale noted that the author of the report was unaware of the existing asset recovery and management framework.
He said, “Both the EFCC Act 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022 are unambiguous regarding the accounts into which proceeds from forfeited assets are to be paid.

“There is no ‘platform’ for the ‘sharing of forfeited assets’; the notion itself being absurd. Otherwise, the news platform would have provided information about when and how the sharing took place and who received what.

“The truth is, it simply did not happen! Presenting fiction as news is the height of irresponsibility, and the EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to defame its hard-earned reputation. The public is urged to disregard this falsehood.”