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Prominent legal practitioner, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has strongly criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its decision to withhold the identities of individuals linked to 753 duplexes recently recovered in Abuja. Ejiofor described the EFCC’s justification as an affront to the intelligence of Nigerians.
The EFCC, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, had dismissed calls, including those from human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, to disclose the estate’s owners. The commission argued that the forfeiture was carried out under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, which involves civil proceedings against the property rather than the individual.
Oyewale explained that the law allows for action against unclaimed properties, stating, “This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chattel that is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the Estate.”
In his reaction, Ejiofor lambasted the EFCC’s stance, calling it evasive and unprofessional.
“This statement from a supposed responsible government agency is nothing short of absurd. If the EFCC chose not to disclose the identities behind the seized properties, silence would have been a better option than this feeble justification,” Ejiofor said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He questioned the agency’s sincerity, pointing out inconsistencies in its operations.
“The same EFCC that relentlessly tracks and blocks proceeds from young Nigerians’ legitimate efforts suddenly pleads ignorance when it comes to a large-scale project like this. Are we to believe that such a massive project lacks a traceable paper trail? Who approved the building plans? To whom was the land allocated? What about certifications or contractors involved in the development?”
Ejiofor accused the EFCC of shielding corrupt individuals and failing in its duty to ensure accountability.
“Instead of this evasive rhetoric, the EFCC should come clean and admit that certain powerful, fantastically corrupt individuals are being protected. The impoverished citizens of this nation deserve transparency, not a poorly crafted smokescreen,” he concluded.
The controversy has drawn widespread criticism, with many Nigerians demanding greater transparency from the EFCC in handling corruption cases.
