General
Stay Away from Politics—Buhari Tells EFCC
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been warned to stay away from politics and focus on its core mandate of dealing with economic saboteurs.
This warning was given by President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja at the unveiling of the EFCC Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Manuals at the State House.
Mr Buhari said the agency should not be partisan and must not become a tool in the hands of politicians or be used to settle personal disputes.
“I must advise the leadership and operatives of this commission to resist the temptation of being used for partisan politics or be dragged into personal disputes. Your job is to serve the nation in its efforts to entrench good governance,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina.
The President noted the excellent performance of the leadership of the EFCC in securing 2,220 convictions within one year and recovering over N152 billion and $385 million.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad to note that the war against corruption, which is one of the cardinal objectives of this administration, is being strengthened through the institutionalization of operational procedures particularly as they form the building blocks of transparency and accountability in administration and public expenditure,” he said.
President Buhari also commended the EFCC Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, for efforts to further institutionalize the commission by developing 26 Standard Operating Procedures and 25 Policies and Manuals for the Departments, Units and staff of the agency while appreciating the support of the board, management and staff.
Mr Buhari said, “Ladies and gentlemen, these outstanding feats achieved are being unveiled today and I would like to use this opportunity to encourage other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, especially law enforcement agencies to also ensure the standardization of their processes within the extant laws and regulations as provided in our statutes.
“I need not underscore the importance of today’s occasion but let me remind you that the stakes are high but national expectations are higher. Therefore, we must continue to strive and deal decisively with matters in accordance with the rule of law.
“On the part of the Government, we shall continue to accord all necessary support to MDAs in order to ensure the sustainability of the initiatives already commenced in actualizing our vision of a corrupt-free society.
“Let me conclude by saying that the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians if we are to make meaningful progress as a nation.
“I invite you all to fight corruption in all its ramifications and join us to entrench good governance values and integrity within all our systems. As I have often said, “If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us as a nation.”
President Buhari said the development of the standards demonstrate the commitment of this administration to the fight against corruption and the acceptance of transparency and willingness to be subjected to scrutiny against set standards by services.
“This is a confirmation of national efforts against graft,” he said, adding: “I understand from your remarks Mr Chairman, that these are the first collection of policy documents ever developed in the eighteen years of the commission’s existence aimed at defining the institutional rules and operational guidelines while instituting uniformity in standards, improving efficiency and removing discretion from your operations. These are indeed remarkable achievements and are very commendable.”
The President assured of a rules-based system in Government business while providing the necessary enabling environment for effective implementation.
“You may recall ladies and gentlemen, that since we came into power in 2015, we have consistently demonstrated the necessary political will to fight corruption. We have ensured the operational independence of the anti-graft agencies, strengthened the legal framework, empowered the regulatory agencies and provided adequate funding to support the fight against corruption,” he added.
In his remarks, the Chairman of EFCC noted that the institution was undergoing various phases of reforms to reposition it for the task of fighting financial crimes in the country, with the production of policies and manuals.
The chairman thanked the President and the National Assembly for the confidence reposed in his “ability and competence’’ to take over the leadership of the organisation in 2021.
Mr Bawa said departments had been reorganised and upgraded, including intelligence gathering, training and the academic institutions, to meet the demands of the job, adding that software had been developed for operations, and a mobile app, The Evil Eye, deployed for ease of reporting economic and financial crimes from the comfort of homes.
He said the EFCC already had a five-year strategic plan, 2021-2025, with clear and measurable targets, based on five objectives, which include improving public engagement to fight crimes, systems and processes for prevention, intelligence gathering, prosecution and law enforcement.
“I will lead an agency that will be the pride of our country, Nigeria,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to a Lagos socialite, Ms Aisha Achimugu, and her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited, to the federal government of Nigeria.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established that the foreign currency was proceeds of fraud and unlawful activities.
The judge further held that Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited failed to establish how it came by the money, saying the anti-money laundering agency satisfied all requirements for the funds to be classified as proceeds of fraud and to be forfeited to the appropriate authority.
He dismissed the claims that the $13 million was gifts received into the Oceangate Engineering Company by Ms Achimugu, adding that the woman never came to the court to show cause why the huge amount of money should not be forfeited to the government.
He held that no single person who gave the monetary gift to Aisha Achimugu to the tune of $13 million was called to testify.
The judge further held that the burden to establish genuine ownership of the money was not established by the applicant to counter the claims of the anti- graft agency that the money was the proceeds of fraud based on its investigation.
According to the judge, Oceangate Engineering Company did not show the business it undertook that fetched it the money, nor did it show whether any payment was made to it by any of its customers.
Justice Nwite had, on August 22, 2025, granted the anti-graft agency’s motion ex parte for an interim order forfeiting the sum of $13 million linked to Oceangate Ltd to the Federal Government over allegations that the fund was proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge had then directed the commission to publish the order in a national daily for interested people to show cause within 14 days why the fund should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has inaugurated a 17-member Planning Committee to coordinate the National Flag-Off of the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) Initiative, a flagship programme aimed at transforming research outputs into economic value.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Philip Ndiomu Ebiogeh, described the initiative as a strategic intervention to convert Nigeria’s vast research and innovation outputs into market-ready products, scalable enterprises, and job-creating opportunities.
He noted that ECoN will mobilise stakeholders nationwide to identify bankable innovations and accelerate their transition from laboratories to the marketplace, stressing that the country must move beyond theoretical research to practical solutions that drive industrial growth and national prosperity.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, had earlier briefed the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on the initiative and proposed her as a champion of the programme, with the national flag-off scheduled for Kano State.
He explained that Kano was deliberately selected due to its historic role as a commercial and industrial hub, offering strong potential to attract investment, stimulate enterprise, and create jobs.
The Committee is chaired by the Minister, with the Permanent Secretary as Co-Chairman, while the Director-General, National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, NBRDA, and the Director-General, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, SHESTCO, serve as Alternate Chairmen.
Members include Professor Nnayelugo Ike-Muonso, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Dr Jummai Adamu, Dr (Mrs) Obiageli Amadiobi, Dr Kabiru Mu’azu, Dr Anwal Mustapha, Engr Ibiam Oguejiofo, Mr Moses Fatogun, Mr Adamu Sulaiman (a representative of SMEDAN), Dr Prince Lawrence Eze, Mr Sani Garba, Dr Muhammad Mustapha, Dr Chioma Okeke, Mr Luther Onyemkpa, Mr Charles Egumgbe, and Dr Nwankwo Nnenna serving as Secretary.
The national flag-off is proposed for late April or early May 2026, subject to Presidential approval.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to positioning innovation as a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Switzerland-headquartered global shipping giant, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has complied with the directive of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to suspend the implementation of its new tariff pending consultations with stakeholders.
In a customer advisory titled Temporary Suspension of New Tariff Implementation, the shipping line stated that the tariff regime in place before the recent increase would remain effective until further notice.
Business Post reported a few days ago that freight forwarders picketed the offices of MSC, protesting the recent increase in shipping line tariffs. They blocked the regulators from accessing the MSC premises to address the matter.
Despite the protests, the council’s attempt to engage the aggrieved freight forwarders in discussions was resisted, as the protesters insisted that there was no basis for dialogue and vowed to continue the protest until the increased charges were immediately reversed.
In the latest directive, the shipping company said, “We wish to inform our esteemed customers that the recently implemented tariff adjustment has been temporarily suspended, following a directive from the NSC. This suspension is pending the conclusion of ongoing engagements and resolution with the regulator.”
“Accordingly, the tariff regime applicable prior to the recent increase will remain in force until further notice, as mandated.”
The company further assured customers that updates would be communicated once a final decision is reached by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“We remain fully committed to regulatory compliance, transparency, and protecting the interests of our customers. Further updates will be communicated promptly once a definitive position is issued by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council. We appreciate your understanding and continued cooperation,” the advisory added.
NSC had warned that prolonged industrial disputes within the maritime sector could disrupt port operations and negatively impact trade and economic activities.
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