Imported User:
The Federal Government has been cautioned against transferring the duties of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to the Nigeria Police.
Former Minster of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, High Chief Nduese Essien, made the call during the week at a retreat organised by the ICPC in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Instead of transferring the functions of the two anti-graft agencies to the police, Essien advocated for the declaration of a state of emergency on corruption in the country.
He insisted that the Nigeria Police is already overwhelmed by the high level of insecurity in the country and would not be able to tackle corruption headlong.
The former minister who chaired the anti-graft retreat with the theme: “Repositioning the ICPC as a foremost Agency in the Ant- Corruption Crusade,” said the level of corruption in the country is embarrassing.
He noted that as long as the anti-graft agencies continued to operate under restrictive legislations, the country would continue to be listed among the most corrupt in the world.
“The anti-graft agencies have during the last three years degenerated into normal government agencies devoid of the momentum that was witnessed between 2003 and 2007. Again, the level corruption in the country has gone beyond the capacity of the statutes establishing the anti-graft agencies.
“Nowhere in the world has endemic corruption been tackled successfully with kid gloves and within the limits of legality. Corruption is an act of illegality and should be dislodged with some level of illegality.”
