An ex-top prosecutor of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a fellow of the National Institute for Security Studies, Mr Jonson Ojogbane has said EFCC remains a key stabiliser without which Nigeria would have long collapsed.
Speaking in Abuja, the Principal Partner of Signature Law Firm, who recently retired from the services of EFCC after 20 years maintains that despite the many allegations levelled against the Commission, “the system would have collapsed by now” if EFCC was not on the scene.
“As much as I do not want to act as the spokesperson of EFCC, I can tell you that without the EFCC when it came on board in 2003, Nigeria would have failed by now. There was no agency like the EFCC.
“Before that time, everything was done with impunity. People did whatever they wanted. the only organisation that is feared in Nigeria up till tomorrow is EFCC.
“People always say the government use EFCC as whipping dogs but the question we should ask is, if the government used them to fight opponents as has been alleged, did the opponent do anything wrong?
“Did they steal money? Were they corrupt? Were they laundering money? Should they be left because they’re opponents of the government?
“I rose from the middle of EFFCC to the top and my experience has been that EFCC is one of the fairest organisations in Nigeria. We have problems no doubt but let’s not forget that many notable Nigerians have been convicted by the EFCC.
“A lot of Nigerians don’t do their research before they start criticising. Governors have gone to prison and spent time because of our work.
“Recently the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of former Bank PHB Boss, Francis Atuche. We prosecuted the case all the way.
“The High Court gave him 12 years and his partner got 10 years. The Court of Appeal affirmed the decision and reduced their sentence from 12 to 6 and 10 to 8. The Supreme Court has affirmed this decision.
“The problem is that EFCC doesn’t even speak of its many successes. Without EFCC as I said before the system would have collapsed by now.
“Remove EFCC from the scene and there would be no government. There will be nothing left. The system before 2003 was completely compromised beyond description.
“I put my own out life there, in the last 20 years, and I can’t regret a single day.
“Before EFCC came on board, Nigeria was already being backlisted across countries. People did not want to deal with Nigerians but today it has reduced drastically.
“It was so bad before that fraudsters could bring foreigners to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and dupe them. They brought Brazilian bankers to CBN, and set up the place.
“Nwude posed as CBN governor inside the CBN building. Nigeria at that was too compromised. EFCC has done a whole lot.
“We are not there yet and we’re not perfect but every orgnanisation has that. Corruption can never be eliminated but it can be managed.
“The difference between other countries and Nigeria is that when they steal, the money does not go out it remains within. Nigerians steal money and it goes out. The way things were within the circumstances of the Nigerian state was terrible.
“There’s a lot of pressure on the Commission but it’s not giving up. If we leave things to the police and other agencies, it will collapse over our heads. We must all support the EFCC.”
