The House of Representatives have decided to look into the allegations of corruption trailing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the funds recovered from corrupt officials.
The House of Representatives has commenced fresh investigation into the alleged non-remittance of over N1 trillion generated from seized assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the Federation Account, according to DailyTrust.
The House consequently mandated its committee on financial crimes to investigate the matter. The resolution was reached after adopting a motion by Minority Leader Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), asking that the alleged non-remittance be investigated to ascertain its authenticity.
Ogor in his motion said: “The past and present leadership of the EFCC is being accused of diversion of funds worth billions of naira meant to be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation as stipulated by Section 31 subsection 2 and 3 of the EFCC Act of 2004.
“The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Justice has directed the EFCC to investigate the allegation against Ibrahim Lamorde and to forward the result of its investigation to him,” he said.
Ogor added that, “by the powers conferred on the House by Section 88(I) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the House, just like the police and the ICPC can investigate the diversion of funds by Lamorde, past and present leaders of the EFCC.”
There were reports in the media that the Federal Ministry of Justice had directed the EFCC to investigate the allegation of diversion of recovered funds by its chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde.
This followed a petition dated September 18, 2015 to the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Abdullahi Yola.
However, the EFCC has debunked claims that it was under investigation, saying that it would be illogical to ask EFCC to investigate itself.