EFCC Scores 140 Convictions in Six Months, Recovers Billions of Dollars – Magu

EFCC Scores 140 Convictions in Six Months, Recovers Billions of Dollars – Magu

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) On Thursday says the anti-graft commission has secured more than 140 convictions in six months.

Magu, who was speaking at a rally organised by the commission to sensitise schoolchildren on the implication of corruption, also said the EFCC has recovered billion of dollar from corrupt individuals in the same period.

‘‘In just six months of this year, we have secured over 140 convictions, including some elusive ‘high profile’ criminals. We have recovered billions of dollars worth of stolen funds and blocked numerous avenues of money laundering,’’ Mr. Magu said while speaking on a theme: ‘‘We Must Win The War on Corruption and Impunity.’’

According to Premium Times, the commission has also blocked several channels used by shady people to launder stolen wealth.

‘‘Citizens are now more disposed to pre-emptively act against corruption; and where the act has been committed, they are willing to work with EFCC to fish out the criminals,” Mr. Magu said.‘‘However, in order to ensure that justice is fully served to the victim, the perpetrator and the society, it is important for us all to continue to hold everyone in the justice delivery chain accountable.”

“Nigerians must also take more seriously their watchdog role over the judiciary to meet the yearnings of Nigerians for justice,’’ Magu said.

A former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, who was also at the event lamented about the manner things have turned out in the country.

“Nigeria is a country that the whole world agreed had incredible potentials to be one of the leading countries of the world. As a matter of fact, at the time of Nigeria’s Independence, many around the world took a bet that Nigeria was the black nation that would likely put in hot pursuit all other nations of the world in terms of greatness that it had.

‘‘Sadly, 56 years after Independence, when some of those nations that took a bet on Nigeria look at what has become of the country, they ponder what has gone wrong. But what has gone wrong is what the EFCC has been established to tackle,’’ Mrs. Ezekwesili said.