Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mohammed Umar Abba, says the anti-graft agency secured 865 convictions from a total of 1,305 cases it filed in the courts in 2020.
Abba said that a total of 7,340 cases were under investigation out of the 10,152 petitions received by the EFCC.
The commission’s boss also said that the agency made significant cash recoveries and seizure of a significant number of assets from persons indicted of corruption, following the due legal process.
A statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, titled, ‘EFCC secures 865 convictions, receives 10,152 petitions in 2020,’said Abba made the disclosure in his end-of-year message.
The statement said the EFCC acting chairman also thanked the commission’s staff for “their dedication, hard work and sacrifices in the discharge of their duties, which contributed to the feat recorded in 2020.”
Abba, who described the year under review as “unique for obvious reasons”, added that the EFCC’s projections anchored on a strategic vision were greatly slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He stated, “The lockdown enforced as part of measures to stem the spread of the deadly virus precipitated a scale-down of our operations.
“For more than five months, activities were at the lowest ebb in our 17-year history as an institution.
“Also, a reform process that witnessed a change in the leadership of the commission naturally created anxiety among critical stakeholders.”
He, however, said that the agency, in spite of the overwhelming odds, was still able to achieve significant milestones across the spectrum of its work.
Abba also expressed the desire to make the EFCC more effective through the expansion of its activities, strengthening existing collaborations with other law enforcement agencies, building new linkages with relevant stakeholders and improving on its processes and procedures.
The EFCC boss, who reassured staff of management’s commitment to their welfare at all times in order to ensure greater performance, stated that “as a dynamic and responsive organisation, we will continually engage staff and review policies to motivate all for greater performance.”
He charged the staff to be more committed to the anti-graft campaign, adding that “if the EFCC fails, the fight against corruption in Nigeria is imperilled.”