The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) has said the recovery and repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen wealth is of great concern to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The minister said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was expected to continue to lead the charge to trace, recover, and facilitate the return of the nation’s stolen wealth.
Fagbemi spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the inauguration of the town’s zonal office of the EFCC.
“Let me state in unequivocal terms that the EFCC is pivotal to the President’s plan to remove impediments to accountability in governance, institutions, and fighting mechanisms and platforms by which Nigeria can hold public officers to account.
“To this end, the government is poised to support the commission in whatever way possible to deliver on its mandate”, he said.
The AGF urged state governments across the country to join the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.
He said: “I use this medium to call on the constituent states of the federation, legislative and judicial arms of the government to key into the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.
“Corruption cannot be effectively tackled without the buy-in of the citizens. I, therefore, urge the new leadership of the EFCC to strengthen public education and awareness with a view to mobilising all Nigerians to embrace the anti-corruption fight”.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the commission would not relent in its war against illegal miners in the country.
He said: “As you are aware, the Ilorin Zonal Command occupies a strategic place in the financial crimes enforcement blueprint of the EFCC.
“Along with the Abuja Command, it is responsible for enforcement activities in most of the Northcentral region with huge deposits of solid mineral resources which exploitation has lately attracted bands of criminals, like bees to honey.
“The burgeoning criminal activities are of concern and many of us are aware of the breakthroughs which the Ilorin command has recorded in this area through the arrest and prosecution of illegal miners in the state and beyond.
“I expect to see more vigorous enforcement of the law against illegal miners to ensure the actualisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Tinubu administration in the solid minerals sector.
“It bears reiterating that we must be unsparing in our efforts to sanitise the business environment and support our country’s drive to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) by tackling fraud of all hues.
“There will be no excuses for non-performance”.
