The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims that its operations are targeted at opposition figures, insisting that its investigations are conducted without regard to political affiliation.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, stated this in an interview on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, where he addressed allegations surrounding the commission’s investigation of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Olukoyede said, “Let me tell you about that particular former attorney-general that you are talking about, there is nothing personal in this matter.
“If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan, and that’s what I want Nigerians to understand and to agree with us.”
The EFCC boss explained that the investigation into Malami did not begin under his leadership, noting that he merely inherited the case file.
“So now I want to tell Nigerians that the investigation of this man predated me in office, and a lot of people don’t know that. Yes, I edited the investigation file. What I did was to ensure that the investigation was carried out in a very professional and thorough manner,” he said.
According to Olukoyede, Malami had been under investigation for nearly two and a half years.
“He has been under investigation for almost two and a half years. The file was opened not even under me. I inherited it, and for the past over two years I’ve been in office, we’ve been painstakingly carrying out the investigation, trying to establish some of these offences and all of that,” he added.
He stressed that charges were only filed after the commission was satisfied with the strength of its case.
“Not until I was convinced that we had a watertight case, and Nigerians are witnesses, so there’s nothing personal about it. I don’t understand the issue of persecution and all of that,” Olukoyede said.
The EFCC recently arraigned the immediate past AGF, alongside his wife and son, on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.
On January 7, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦500m each, with two sureties.
The court ruled that the sureties must own landed property in high-end areas of Abuja, including Asokoro, Maitama, and Gwarinpa, and must also submit their travel documents to the court.
ADC Alleges Witch-Hunt
Before the bail was granted, the African Democratic Congress in Kebbi State accused the EFCC of witch-hunt and political victimisation in the prosecution of Malami.
“In other words, as a law enforcement agency, the EFCC must not only enforce the law but must also be seen to enforce the law. But when a law enforcement agency is biased and selective, it presents a serious challenge to the country it is meant to serve,” it alleged.