‘Where were you before now’ – EFCC asks politicians seeking prosecution of opponents

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked politicians inundating it with frivolous petitions against their political opponents where they were before now, warning that the commission cannot be drawn into the fray.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Tuesday,  that the commission would not allow itself to be used by politicians against their opponents.

According the statement, the EFCC had received a lot of petitions from politicians alleging financial crimes against their opponents with a design to pitch the commission against such opponents.

“In recent weeks, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the 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.

“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,” the statement said.

Uwujaren described as unfortunate the attempt by some persons involved in crime to use the tool of blackmail to prevent the commission from investigating them.

He said that one’s office in a political party or position as a political office holder would not deter the commission from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.

“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,” Uwujarem said.