The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) have urged the federal government to strengthen anti-corruption agencies to boost accountability and their operation in Nigeria.
They made the call at the 36th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR) Conference, themed, ‘The Fight Against Corruption Under the Tinubu-led Administration: A Review of the First Year in Office’.
HEDA Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, emphasized the need for judicial independence, insisting that indicted government officials, regardless of their political affiliations, must face the law.
He said anti-corruption agencies must be adequately funded and operate independently, free from any form of interference, including from the Office of the President.
“Public participation in the fight against corruption is crucial. This can only be achieved when information is readily available to the people. The government must ensure the protection of freedom of information, allowing citizens to access the information necessary to engage with governance.”
“The National Orientation Agency (NOA) is a strategic government agency that should operate independently and be adequately funded to carry out the necessary reorientation of Nigerians. Not only young people involved in cyber-criminality but also public officials engaged in corruption can benefit from the NOA’s messages,” Suraju said.
He said the National Assembly should refer cases to anti-corruption agencies equipped with investigators capable of conducting forensic analysis.
“This would prevent political bias and ensure cases are resolved based on evidence rather than political settlements.”
The EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, represented by Mr Wilson Uwujaren, commended HEDA in national advocacy and the pursuit of social and distributive justice.
He said, “From the perspective of the EFCC, we have observed a remarkable non-interference by the government in our daily activities, enabling us to fulfill our mandate effectively. In the past year, the EFCC achieved substantial progress, including numerous convictions and monetary recoveries amounting to millions of dollars.”
He said the significant enforcement actions have led to the suspension of a serving minister and several heads of agencies under investigation for fraud, while former ministers and governors are currently being prosecuted by the EFCC.
Olukoyede said the commission has shifted focus towards prevention by establishing the Fraud Risk Assessment and Control Department to assess the vulnerability of MDAs to corruption and devises measures to mitigate these risks.
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