The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vehemently denied a report by an online newspaper alleging that N54 billion forfeited by associates of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele was shared among ministers, aides of President Bola Tinubu, and EFCC officials.
In a statement, the EFCC described the report as “false” and “sensational,” stating that no official of the Commission has ever been involved in the sharing of proceeds from forfeited assets. The EFCC emphasized that the notion of sharing forfeited assets is “strange” to the Commission and contradicts the existing asset recovery and management framework.
The EFCC Act, 2004, and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, clearly outline the accounts into which proceeds of forfeited assets are to be paid, leaving no room for “sharing.” The Commission challenged the newspaper to provide evidence of when and how the alleged sharing took place, stating that the report’s lack of specificity betrays its falsehood.
The EFCC condemned the report as “irresponsible” and an attempt to defame its reputation. The Commission urged the public to disregard the report and assured that it will not tolerate any attempts to tarnish its hard-earned reputation.
