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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that its investigation on the subsidy scam is almost completed, adding that the commission would soon move against oil firms indicted by the House of Representatives’ ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy probe.
A source close to the EFCC told LEADERSHIP yesterday that the commission was on top of the situation.
According to the source, “Of course, we are almost through with our investigation, and once we are through, we will move against the indicted oil firms.”
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday handed over the report of the House of Representatives committee on fuel subsidy probe to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), with a stern warning that there must be no sacred cows or any form of witch-hunting in the investigation and prosecution of culprits.
Adoke, who stated this while speaking to State House correspondents after receiving the subsidy probe report and letter containing the directive from the president, also expressed his readiness to forward the report to the EFCC without delay.
Brandishing the report before journalists in front of the president’s office at the Presidential Villa yesterday, Adoke said, “I told you I just got the letter this morning, and I have just gotten the report. I am acting on it immediately. I am forwarding it to the EFCC. When this whole process started, the president gave an assurance to the nation that this report will be implemented to the letter.
“I can assure you, we will prosecute all those that are found culpable. There will be no sacred cows. I am with the copy of the report. We are not going to witch-hunt anybody, we are going to do this without sentiments and whoever is found guilty, we are going to arraign him before the court of law and prosecute. And if there are not enough evidence to prosecute anybody, we are not going to persecute anybody,” Mr. Adoke said.
“So get it clear, we are going to do our job without intimidation and we are going to carry that out in the best interest of the nation.”
The AGF, who recalled his earlier statement to the nation that the federal government was going to investigate properly to ensure that all loose ends are covered to make sure that there was proper prosecution, further said, “We don’t want situations where we are stampeded to initiate prosecution and we are unable to prosecute due to lack of or paucity of evidence.
“Now, we have to ask the EFCC to do a thorough job as they have been doing, and this report will help them tremendously,” he added, noting that, specifically, President Jonathan instructed him to investigate and prosecute.
On the call for Justice Ayo Salami’s reinstatement as recommended to the president by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the AGF said, “The matter is sub-judice, I don’t comment on matters that is in court.”
