Anti-corruption fight: No sacred cow, says presidency

Vice President Namadi Sambo

Anti-corruption fight: No sacred cow, says presidency
Lawan Hamidu, Abuja

The Nigerian government says there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. This assurance came from Vice President Namadi Sambo in Abuja on Monday at the opening of a three-day seminar on Economic Crimes.

The government reiterated its determination to support Nigeria’s anti corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in implementing laws that would rid the country of economic crimes.

Vice-President Sambo, who described fighting economic crimes as a collective responsibility, told the commission not to relent in its effort to make the country an economic-crime-free society especially with the current challenges facing the nation.

"This administration has identified corruption as a major constraint to development. It has become even more so under the current economic and security challenges facing the nation. This explains the location of the anti-corruption programme as a central focus of the Federal Government Transformation Agenda". Vice President said.

Legal framework to fight Economic Crime

The Vice president pointed out that this year government has signed into Law the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and the Evidence Amendment Act 2011 with a view to supplementing the provisions of the EFCC and ICPC Acts and ensuring expeditious treatment of cases. 

He said government was equally aware that the passage of laws is the first step therefore it will give all the necessary support and encouragement to the anti-corruption agencies to vigorously enforce the anti-corruption laws.

 "I however urge these agencies to do their work fairly but firmly within the ambit of the Rule of Law without regard to position or status. There should be no sacred cow. This government has not and will not protect any so-called sacred cows. The wheel of justice must take its full course in anti-corruption cases. The judiciary has a lot to do in this direction if we are to achieve our objectives". He said.

Crime free society

Delivering the keynote address at the seminar with the theme: ‘National Development, The Challenges of Global Economic Crime’, the Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said countries must continue to partner with one another in the crusade as economic crimes do not respect borders.

She said that Liberia with its 3.5 million people had been able to fight some of the financial irregularities, though much needed to be done to ensure the country, and by extension, the continent became crime free.

In her speech, EFCC Executive Chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri said the agency in the last seven years was able to recover stolen assets worth eleven billion dollars while six hundred and fifty people were convicted for various economic crimes across the country.

"The sophistication, complexity and variegated nature of the problem demand much more radical, drastic and unorthodox approaches. Our society seems to have been complacent and tolerant of corruption for too long." Said Farida. 

Recovery of funds

In his remarks, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, announced the recovery and repatriation of $22.5million pound sterling to Nigeria from the Island of Jersey.  He said the amount was the proceeds of money laundered from Nigeria.

According to Adoke, the Ministry of Justice had commenced work on a comprehensive Assets Forfeiture Legislation that would address the present inadequacies in the various laws, saying that the Nigerian Proceeds of Crime Act and Bribery Act were also in the pipeline.

Adoke dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation was at loggerheads with the EFCC or any other anti-corruption agency in the country.

Goodwill message

In a goodwill message, the Head of the European Union (EU), Ambassador David MacRae, noted with delight that the EFCC had been playing a key role in fighting corruption and evolving the political and democratic process in the country.

He revealed that the EU had so far assisted the EFCC and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) with about N6billion to improve their technical and operational capacities and integrate civil society in the fight against corruption through advocacy and awareness.

The opening ceremony of the three day event featured the commissioning of EFCC’s ultra-modern auditorium, classroom complex, executive hostel and cafeteria in the EFCC Training and Research Institute.

Iheanacho/Ekata