I Want Details of Recovered Loots—Buhari Orders CBN, EFCC, Others

By Dipo Olowookere

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele; and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu have been ordered to provide a detailed submission on amount of monies recovered so far by them since the inception of this administration on May 29, 2015.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who gave this order, further said Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Babagana Monguno; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Lawal Daura, to follow suit.

According to ThisDay, these agencies were also directed to submit a detailed inventory of assets seized, including vehicles, jewelleries and other valuables, latest by Friday April 7, 2017, but the directive was given about two weeks ago.

Also to be submitted are details of recovered monies and assets in their possession and checks by the paper revealed that most of the agencies except the EFCC have since complied with the deadline given by the President.

But it was not certain if the EFCC Chairman had complied with the directive at the moment.

The source said that the directive was informed by the need to “place a value on the total recoveries made by the government, whose anti-graft prosecutors have been accused of being unable to secure convictions, but have been quick to announce their seizures, even temporary ones to the public.”

It added that the President needed the inventory to ensure transparency and accountability as rumours of untoward practices continued to swell round the recoveries.

There have been allegations that some of the seized valuables like land documents, cars and vehicles had been stolen by some officials of the agencies that seized them.

The source said: “In fact, in several yards across the country, vehicles seized by EFCC like Range Rovers, Jaguars, Prado jeeps, and expensive cars are decaying. The cars are allowed to rot, leading to massive waste.”

“Also remember that certificates of occupancy seized from the home of an ex-Governor were found in the market, where some EFCC officials were allegedly trying to sell them. The case is now with the police.

“Also at the Senate hearing for his confirmation, Mr Magu was unable to put a figure or an estimate to the amount of monies, local and foreign currency, he has recovered so far, or provide a value to properties, cars and jewelleries that have been seized,” the source added.

When THISDAY contacted Senior Adviser to the President on Communication, Mr Femi Adesina on details of directive, he stated that he was unaware of it but that the President had been receiving series of briefings since he returned to the country and that the said directive would be nothing out of the ordinary.