The Federal Government has been urged to put in place legislation to prevent impunity and mismanagement of seized assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A journalist, John Chuks Azu, while reacting to EFCC’s alleged conversion of seized assets or properties under interim forfeiture to accommodation and transit camps, as made public during a radio programme, Public Conscience, produced by the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG), in Abuja, said the regulatory framework for assets management would clearly define how recovered assets will be managed.
Lamenting that lack of legislation breeds impunity, he said delay in Nigeria’s judicial system and process in quickly concluding on cases contributes negatively.
Azu noted that the use of forfeited property by EFCC staff and other security agencies remains a clear breach of due process, while disclosing that he was more worried that the seized property are decaying and rotting away with time, which is the more reason proceeds of crime forfeiture management bill should be speedily passed.
He maintained that the passage of the bill and the creation of an agency to manage it would certainly curb impunity and enhance accountability and transparency in the management of recovered assets in Nigeria.
Two other journalists, Lami Sadiq and Idowu Isamota, alluded that seized property they visited during the investigation were decaying, while calling for urgent attention to be given to assets forfeiture law.
They revealed that the investigations were carried out in EFCC’s zonal offices; Enugu, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna.
