The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed recent allegations that its officials shared| funds forfeited by associates of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, firmly refuted the claims circulating on an online news platform.
The report in question purported that ₦54 billion, forfeited by Emefiele’s associates, was improperly distributed among certain ministers, aides of President Tinubu, and EFCC officials.
Oyewale emphasized that no EFCC officials have been involved in the division of forfeited assets.
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He stated, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission denounces as false the report by the online news platform, which alleges that ₦54 billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was ‘shared’ among certain ministers and aides of President Tinubu, in collaboration with EFCC officials.
“No official of the Commission was or has ever been, involved in the ‘sharing’ of any proceeds from forfeited assets. The notion of ‘sharing of proceeds from forfeited assets’ is alien to the Commission.”
Oyewale criticized the report’s author for lacking an understanding of the asset recovery and management framework.
He added, “Both the EFCC Act 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022 are unambiguous regarding the accounts into which proceeds from forfeited assets are to be paid.
“There is no ‘platform’ for the ‘sharing of forfeited assets’; the notion itself being absurd.
Otherwise, the news platform would have provided information about when and how the sharing took place and who received what.
“The truth is, it simply did not happen! Presenting fiction as news is the height of irresponsibility, and the EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to defame its hard-earned reputation.
The public is urged to disregard this falsehood.”