EFCC briefs Senate on 47 SUVs seized from ex-perm sec

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has briefed the Senate on the 47 new Sports Utility Vehicles seized from a former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mr. Godknows Igali, and forfeited to the Federal Government.

The EFCC made this known to the lawmakers in a report presented by the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, to the Senate Committee on Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption.

The committee had asked Magu, when he appeared before it to defend the 2017 budget estimates of the EFCC, to come back with the report of the activities of the commission.

The EFCC boss, who presented a report on assets recovered by the agency to the lawmakers on Wednesday, was, again, asked to come back with a more comprehensive report, including the details such as assets seized, assets forfeited, loot recovered and pending corruption cases.

The EFCC said the cars were seized in Utako, Abuja residence of the ex-civil servant, who is currently under investigation for alleged corruption.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had on December 30, 2016, in a statement, announced the seizure. He noted that the new strategies deployed by the current administration in its war against corruption were achieving results.

Meanwhile, lawmakers kicked against the donation of building and furniture to EFCC by an unnamed state governor, saying such donations could hamper the independence of the commission.

Senator Dino Melaye, specifically, expressed dissatisfaction with a situation where governors would make donations to the EFCC,  saying that such development could frustrate the activities of the anti-graft agency.

The lawmakers also demanded a review of a contract for the construction of the EFCC office building, awarded to Julius Berger, which had been raised from N18.8bn to N26bn.

Melaye wondered why a contract awarded at N18.8bn could be increased to N26bn and the EFCC would later request for additional N2bn for power plant and sewage.

He also asked how could be a 10-storeyed building be without a plan for sewage and power plant when the contract was awarded.

The Chairman of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi, said the signing of the contract was against the advice of the Bureau of Public Procurement.

Source – The Punch