Soldier On, Don't Be Deterred By Political and Media Shenanigans - Group to EFCC. ...Commends Commission over secured convictions and recoveries.

By Joseph Oduntan

A social development and community advancement group, Vanguard for Credible Representation (VCR), has urged the Olukeyede-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), not to be deterred in carrying out her anti-corruption mandate.

 

The coordinator of the group, Comrade Akinloye Oyeniyi, who gave the encouragement at the end of a stakeholders conference on Friday in Abuja declared that the group will continue to support the current EFCC leadership because of its giant strides and particularly in the new area of public enlightenment to prevent corruption. 

Oyeniyi further commended the Mr. Ola Olukeyede-led management of the Commission for the better turn since he became the chairman especially in the area of recovery and litigation.

"We have to give commendation whenever it is due and to whomever it is, we once called for the sack of a chairman of the same same Commission many years ago when he was mis-directing the agency and he was relieved. So, if when we see one that is trying his best despite all odds, he and his entire team must also be commended and encouraged, basically to do more.

"Our eyes will never leave the Commission and its sister agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (ICPC); and we can confirm to Nigerians that the Commission has so far secured 3,175 convictions and recovered N156,276,691,242.30 between May 29, 2023 and today. Foreign cash seizures are also as follows $43,835,214.24, £25,365.00, €186,947.10, ₹51,360.00, C$3,750.00, A$740.00, ¥74,754.00, R35,000.00, 42,390.00 UAE Dirhams, 247.00 Riyals and 21,580,867,631 Crypto Currency. All these are despite the current political and media wars directed at the Commission", Oyeniyi said.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ola Olukoyede as the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in October 2023. Ola Olukoyede with an extensive experience in the operations of the EFCC is also a lawyer with over twenty-two (22) years of experience in regulatory compliance; a specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence.

Oyeniyi enjoined the management not to be deterred by whatever political or media narratives directed to hinder their current progression.