By Adesakin Adefemi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected allegations that it is targeting opposition politicians, insisting that its operations are guided strictly by law and its statutory mandate to combat corruption.
In a statement on its official X handle, the commission described claims of “weaponisation of the EFCC”, “erosion of EFCC’s independence”, and “persecution of opposition politicians” as a misrepresentation of its role in investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes.
According to the EFCC, its authority is derived solely from its Establishment Act, which mandates it to investigate and prosecute all forms of economic and financial crimes, with the only exception being political office holders enjoying constitutional immunity during their tenure.
The commission noted that arrests and prosecutions carried out in the last two years under the current leadership show that members of both the ruling and opposition parties have faced investigation, stressing that suspects of corrupt practices from all parties have no immunity and are being equally investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC.
The EFCC argued that accountability should not be politicised, asking, “Where is persecution in asking a suspect of corrupt practice to account for his sleaze?” It added that stealing, embezzlement of public funds, contract fraud, money laundering, and other corrupt practices are not excusable on political grounds.
The commission stressed that corruption “has no gender, religion, tribe, political party or other extraneous alignment”, warning that “selective outrage cannot be a defence against criminal investigation for graft”.
The EFCC also cautioned that attempts to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigations posed a greater threat to democracy than its lawful actions, saying what threatens democracy is not the EFCC doing its job, but the attempt to intimidate or blackmail it into abandoning investigation allegations against corrupt opposition politicians.
The commission maintained that it would not “succumb to blackmail or be railroaded into inconclusive investigations just to be seen to be non-selective”, while calling on Nigerians to support its anti-corruption efforts.
The EFCC’s statement follows recent political debates over alleged pressure on opposition figures, amid claims that anti-corruption agencies were being used to weaken rivals, allegations also rejected by the Presidency.
