Corruption rating: EFCC tackles NGO

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday said that cases of persons, impersonating the agency's operatives had become rampant.

The agency made this statement in response to a publication (not The Punch) that counted the EFCC among highly corrupt agencies of the government.

 The statement by its Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, read, "The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to a news publication in some national dailies of October 22, 2013 that lumps the commission among agencies of government touted as highly corrupt.

"The report was said to be the result of a 2013 National Crime Victimisation and Safety Survey conducted by CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation. Without mincing words, the commission considers its integrity as a core value and will not fold its arms while some armchair researchers, desperate to justify a grant, use the result of a spurious survey to cast aspersion on its integrity."

The agency said it was proud of its record as regards integrity. It said cases of impersonation of operatives of the commission by fraudsters were rampant because its operatives could not be easily induced. Some of these fraudsters were said to have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted while others were still on the prowl.

It said, "One Muhammad Al Haleel was prosecuted by the EFCC and sentenced to three years imprisonment for obtaining N60m from Dr. Shuaibu Teidi, a governorship aspirant in Kogi State. Al Haleel had promised to facilitate a meeting between Teidi and Vice President Namadi Sambo, to ensure that he, Teidi, got nominated as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

"Teidi, a former Director, Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who is currently in Kuje Prison, is  being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside 39 others persons over a N4.56bn Pension scam.

"This is just a tip of the iceberg of how fraudsters have and still use the name of the commission to obtain gratification from members of the public, who are all too willing to pay because of their morbid fear of the agency."