A leading pro-democracy group, Kwara Must Change, has tackled the Federal Government over persistent removal of chairmen of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since 2003 over alleged unsubstantiated claims of corruption.
The group made this known over the weekend on a popular radio program, Eto Wa on Sobi FM in ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
While reacting to the subject of persistent removal of EFCC chairmen by successive governments, including the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Kwara Must Change guest, Kamaldeen Babasiga, noted that all allegations against EFCC chairmen remain mere allegations without substance.
According to Mr Kamaldeen, “No EFCC chairman has been prosecuted and found guilty of any crime since 2007 and their persistent removal by FG is eroding confidence in the anti-graft institution and as a matter of fact, it is a disservice to the nation.”
Mr Kamaldeen noted that since 2007, no single EFCC chairman was free from allegations by the federal government, adding that the government had not been able to come up with any justification to warrant the persistent removal of the EFCC chairmen.
He explained that the government could remove EFCC chairmen without accusing them of any crime, “but when you continuously accuse head of your anti-graft agency of graft without ensuring adequate prosecution, you subject the agency to public disrepute”.
Another guest, Abdullateef Babafila, corroborated the position of Mr Kamaldeen, saying that the EFCC had some records of achievements, particularly in its successful prosecution of several high-profile cases, including former governors.
Mr Babafila, however, lamented that those achievements are discredited by successive governments, claiming that previous governments used the EFCC to prosecute and witchhunt their enemies.
“However, if EFCC under a government succeeds in securing conviction, it means that it was able to present valid evidences before a court and allegations of witch-hunting enemies can not arise” Mr Babafila said.
