EFCC Denies Sharing Of N54bn Recovered From Emefiele’s Associates

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied media reports alleging that N54 billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, was ‘shared’ among certain ministers and aides of President Bola Tinubu, in collaboration with EFCC officials.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said that the sensational report, promoted ostensibly to scandalise the agencies mentioned, betrays the author’s ignorance of the existing asset recovery and management framework.

He said no commission official was or has ever been involved in the “sharing” any proceeds of forfeited assets.

He said the notion of “sharing of proceeds of forfeited assets” is strange to the commission.

Part of the statement read that: “the EFCC denounces as false, the report by the online news platform, Sahara Reporters, alleging that N54billion forfeited by some associates of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele was “shared” among certain ministers and aides of President Bola Tinubu, in collaboration with EFCC officials.

“No official of the Commission was, or has ever been involved in the “sharing” of any proceeds of forfeited assets. The notion of “sharing of proceeds of forfeited assets” is strange to the Commission.

“The sensational report, promoted ostensibly to scandalise the agencies mentioned, betrays the author’s ignorance of the existing asset recovery and management framework. Both the EFCC Act, 2004 and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, are unambiguous in terms of the accounts into which proceeds of forfeited assets are to be paid.

“There is no “platform” for the “sharing of forfeited assets”; the notion itself being infantile. Otherwise, Sahara reporters would not have withheld information about when and how the sharing occurred and who got what. The truth is, it simply did not happen!

Dishing fiction to the public as news is the height of irresponsibility, and EFCC will not tolerate any attempt to defame its hard-earned reputation.”