The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has hailed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the recovery of an expanse estate in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) from a corrupt top former brass of the government.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, on Monday, December 2, 2024 gave a ruling on a final forfeiture of the estate in Abuja measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.
The Estate which rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, was allegedly built by a top government functionary with the proceeds from his various corrupt and lawful activities while in office.
NANS in a statement on Tuesday signed by the Clerk of the Senate, NANS headquarters, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, described the single largest asset recovery by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since its inception in 2003 as a “huge achievement”.
Odunayo in the statement lauded the anti-graft agency for working assiduously to secure the forfeiture of the property illegally acquired through the court of law, urging it not to relent in its fight against perpetrators of economic and financial crimes irrespective of their social and political status.
He particularly commended the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, for his resilience and courage to tackle corruption in both government and private establishments.
According to the statement, “Nigeria will be a better place if corruption can be tackled head on. With this forfeiture order secured by the EFCC, NANS strongly believes that jitters would have been sent down the spines of other corrupt public and government officials”.
Odunayo, however, urged the anti-graft to be buoyed by the latest achievement and go after more government officials who engage in unlawful practices to amass wealth and property.
He further called on the EFCC to beam its searchlight on different government ministries, parastatals and agencies of the government, saying “many of such sprawling estates in different parts of Abuja are said to be owned by top government officials”.
While urging the management of the EFCC to brace up as corrupt officials who are afraid of being uncovered and suffer similar fate may want to fight back, NANS Clerk of the Senate added that the asset tracing and recovery policy must be extended to the state level.
He submitted by charging the EFCC boss to continue his internal sanitation of the anti-graft agency to weed out suspected corrupt officials and economic crime collaborators, in order for it to sustain its integrity.
