The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refuted claims by some online news platforms, alleging that N54billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, was shared among certain ministers and aides of President Tinubu, in collaboration with EFCC officials.
According to the anti-graft agency, no official of the commission has ever been involved in the sharing of any proceeds of forfeited assets.
EFCC debunked the claims in a statement shared on Facebook on Wednesday, August 21.
The statement reads: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, denounces as false, the report by the online news platform, Sahara Reporters, alleging that N54billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 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 of forfeited assets. The notion of ‘sharing of proceeds of forfeited assets’ is strange to the Commission.
“The sensational report which was promoted ostensibly to scandalise the agencies mentioned, betrays the author’s ignorance of the existing asset recovery and management framework. Both the EFCC Act, 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, are unambiguous in terms of the accounts into which proceeds of forfeited assets are to be paid.
“There is no ‘platform’ for the ‘sharing of forfeited assets’; the notion itself being infantile. Otherwise, Sahara reporters would not have withheld information about when and how the sharing occurred and who got what. The TRUTH is, it simply did not happen!
“Dishing fiction to the public as news is the height of irresponsibility and EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to defame its hard-earned reputation.
“The public is enjoined to trash the lie told by Sahara Reporters.”
Source: Facebook | Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
