Are you a politician? The EFCC has this message for you (READ)

by Chidi Okoye

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned Politicians to stop sending false petitions against their opponents to the graft body.

The Commission revealed that in recent time, it has received series of fake and frivolous petition against ‘leading political figures’.

Politicians were also warned by the EFCC to refrain from filing reports against their opponents to gain political advantage.

The commission released a statement to this effect on Tuesday, January 13, imploring the public to make sure that their petitions meet its standard before filing them.

The statement said: “In recent weeks the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been alarmed by reports in a section of the media, accusing it of failure to act on certain petitions supposedly sent to it through the pages of the newspapers.”

“According to the petitioners, the Commission’s failure to act had reduced their chances of success in the political arena. While it is puzzling how the Commission’s action or inaction could confer political advantage on any aspirant, it is important to educate petition writers that the EFCC have standard operating procedures, which clearly state the irreducible minimum standards which officers must uphold in evaluating petitions for investigation. Where petitions fall short of such standards, the EFCC is not obliged to proceed.”

Furthermore, the statement also reminded the public that it is an offence to mislead the commission by writing false petitions.

“The Commission wishes to sound a note of warning to politicians not to attempt to use it as a tool for political warfare, In recent weeks, the EFCC has received many frivolous petitions alleging high crimes against leading political figures. Some of them came from the opponents of such individuals. While it is important for citizens to be whistle blowers, it amounts to self help to attempt to instigate the EFCC against a political opponent. Citizens do not have to wait until election time to report alleged financial malfeasance.”

“It is equally important that members of the public realize that it is an offence under the EFCC Establishment Act to write false petitions or supply misleading information to the Commission. Also, the trend where persons engage in acts of criminality and attempt to blackmail the EFCC from going after them by imputing political motives to the Commission’s enforcement activities is most unfortunate. Nobody is above the law.”

“The fact that a politician is the standard bearer of any political party for any political office does not amount to immunity from investigation or prosecution for any acts of criminality. The core mandate of the EFCC is fighting all forms of economic and financial crimes. Crimes of this nature have no political or religious colorations.”

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