The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected claims by some political actors that it is being used to target opposition politicians.
A statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, insisted that its activities are guided strictly by law.
The anti-graft agency described allegations of “weaponisation of the EFCC,” “erosion of EFCC’s independence,” and “persecution of opposition politicians” as a distortion of its statutory role.
The EFCC said its powers are derived solely from its Establishment Act, which mandates it to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes, except in cases involving political office holders protected by constitutional immunity.
“The Commission’s weapon is its Establishment Act which provides the ground norm of its activities,” the statement said.
The commission added that “suspects of corrupt practices from the ruling party, opposition party and non-partisan actors have no immunity and are being equally investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC.”
The EFCC said its records over the past two years under the current leadership show that individuals from both the ruling and opposition parties have been investigated and prosecuted.
“A checklist of arrests and prosecution by the Commission in the last two years under the current leadership shows that strong members of the ruling party such as former governors, ministers and others not publicly known are sharing tables with a motley number of opposition politicians as well and others,” it said.
The EFCC described claims of selective prosecution as “quite untenable,” arguing that accountability should not be reduced to partisan considerations.
“Where is persecution in asking a suspect of corrupt practice to account for his sleaze?” the commission asked.
It added that “stealing, embezzlement of public funds, contract fraud, money laundering and other corrupt practices” cannot be justified on political grounds.
The anti-graft agency stressed that corruption “has no gender, religion, tribe, political party or other extraneous alignment.”
The EFCC warned that “selective outrage cannot be a defence against criminal investigation for graft.”
The commission said attempts to intimidate or blackmail it into dropping investigations posed a greater threat to democracy than its enforcement actions.
“What threatens democracy is not the EFCC doing its job, but the attempt to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigation allegations against corrupt opposition politicians,” the statement said.
The EFCC said it would not “succumb to blackmail or be railroaded into inconclusive investigations just to be seen to be non-selective.”
The anti-graft also called on Nigerians to support its efforts to combat corruption nationwide.
“We enjoin all well-meaning, reform-minded and patriotic Nigerians to join hands with the EFCC in this dignity-restoring mandate,” the statement added.
The clarification follows ongoing political debates over alleged pressure on opposition figures and claims that anti-corruption agencies are being used for political purposes.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, had earlier said President Bola Tinubu would never deploy the EFCC to harass opposition politicians, adding that the agency operates independently within its statutory mandate.