The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde on Tuesday said over N15 billion, was intercepted at the nation’s airports between January and the present date.
He made this disclosure at the 2012 International Anti-Corruption Day on the theme: “ACT: Help Detect Corruption Risks Today.”
The event was organized by the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), a coalition of Anti-Corruption Agencies.
Lamorde while speaking noted that N14 billion was intercepted between January and August, while the operation of a Special Task Team which is a joint patrol of airports by the EFCC operatives and Nigerian Customs officers, seized over $9 million dollars.
He lamented the effect of financial crimes, saying: “Corruption is one of the reasons Nigeria has not been able to make progress, socially, politically and economically and we have all agreed that corruption cannot be sustained in Nigeria, all of us must come together to fight corruption.”
The EFCC chairman, emphasized the need for a special court to take on corruption cases, while advocating increased funding for the agency.
“Criminal procedure rather than judiciary should be blamed for the problem of slow pace of trial of corruption cases. Somebody cannot steal from you and expect that the law should protect him against you the victim of his crime. Something has to be done. I pray that the new leadership of the judiciary will be able to do something.”
“Judges are either transferred or the witnesses dead. It is not fair on the anti-corruption agencies to say they are delaying cases. Let cases not last forever. If you think there is no case, please discharge the person but where the person has a case to answer, the case should be concluded in good time.”
Lamorde also added that between January and December 2012, the Commission filed about 353 cases at various courts across the country and had recorded about 53 convictions.
IATT Chairman, Mr. Ledum Mitee said weak anti-corruption institutions in terms of capacity, funding and coordination were the challenges limiting the capability of Anti-Corruption Agencies in the country.
“However, we cannot continue on this path. We must steer the ship aright. With the establishment of the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT), synergy is being built amongst the anti-corruption agencies; the era of individual turf is waning giving room for possible joint investigations and prosecutions which in turn is expected to result in effective sanctions and prevention of corruption”, Mitee said.
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