The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Abuja Zonal Office, within its first year of establishment secured 42 convictions as at November, 2019. This number of convictions was derived from 615 petitions, of which 305 were put under investigation, with 164 currently with the zone’s Legal Unit for advice and possible prosecution and 74 pending in court. The rest, which fell out of the Commission’s purview were either transferred to sister agencies for prosecution or dropped for lack of merit.

These disclosures were made on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 in a press briefing, held at Abuja Zonal Office, Wuse, by the zonal head, Aminu Ado Aliyu.

The zone equally recorded impressive performance in the area of asset recoveries, recording N725,246,287 (Seven Hundred and Twenty-five Million, Two Hundred and Forty-six Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty-seven Naira) and other sums in foreign currencies.

“We have also been able to recover a total sum of N725,246,287 (Seven Hundred and Twenty five Million, Two Hundred and Forty Six Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira); $49,673 (Forty-nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-three Dollars); €2330 (Two Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty Euros) and £23,400 (Twenty-three Thousand, Four Hundred Pounds). We recovered exotic cars which were proceeds of crimes as well as laptops and phones that were used as instruments for financial crimes. Some of these recoveries were forfeited to the federal government, while others have been returned to the victims based on the outcome of the investigation and court’s directive,” Aliyu stated.

Aliyu noted the EFCC has played frontline roles in the fight against corruption in all the sectors of the economy, which in no small measure have helped project the country in a better light, locally and globally.

While tasking the media on adequate reportage of anti-corruption activities of the Commission, the Abuja zonal head observed the need for more local and international collaborations in the fight against corruption. “Our intensified efforts in fighting cyber crimes led to collaboration with the FBI and other international agencies to investigate cases traced to Nigeria. This collaboration has also contributed to our successes within this year. Fighting corruption is a serious task which needs pooling together of our collective efforts.

Media & Publicity

11 December, 2019