The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that no past governor with corruption issues is immune to an investigation by the anti-graft agency.

The commission also vowed to sustain its tempo of rigorously pursuing economic and financial crime-related cases irrespective of who is involved.

Speaking on Thursday, November 30, at the opening of a one-day EFCC Civil Society Organisations engagement organised by the commission in Sokoto, its zonal commander, ACE Aliyu Yunusa said no one is an exception to the commission’s task of investigating in order to free Nigeria from the shackles of the ‘demon’ corruption.

He said: “Our core mandate remains and we are determined and resolute to achieve results with the active collaboration of Nigerians particularly the CSO who are equally drivers of our mandate to success.

“We rely on the Nigeria public and organised bodies to nip in the bud, corruption and other economic crimes for a sound Nigeria.”

The one-day engagement drew participants from across the 3 states of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.

Yunusa, flanked by his deputy, Adesola Amusan, also used the opportunity to clear the air on the wrong narrative that the commission doesn’t investigate past governors.

He said: “No past governor or anyone is exempted from our investigation where a petition is received.”

The zonal commander who also identified technology, lack of public cooperation, religion, tribal and ethnic sentiments as well as data-free work as major challenges to impeding the agency’s activities, reassured of its resolve to face the challenges head-on.

Though decried the challenge of low workforce faced by the commission, Yunusa disclosed that the agency was fast in tune with the reality of driving active synergy with other constitutional organs to tackle corruption.

He reassured that the whistle-blower policy was still active and assisting the commission to successfully discharge its duties even as the Zonal Commander said the commission was rarely embracing the plea bargain option.

He noted: “And let me explain that whatever is recovered by the commission including forfeiture, goes to the government and straight into the recovery account with the CBN.”

Also, a top official of the commission in charge of Enlightenment and Information, Aisha Muhammad called on the need for Nigerians to exhibit patriotism in order to take Nigeria to her rightful promised destination of her dream of a corrupt-free nation.

Muhammad pointed out that CSO was an instrumental arm in the fight against corruption, noting that they have presence spread down to the grassroots which the commission will leverage to drive its mandate to success.

According to her, the commission was already encouraging and supporting the spread of clubs across schools to convey its messages and imbibe in young ones the principles of zero tolerance to corruption.

She stated: “Our doors are open and we are ready to responsively collaborate for the promotion of youth programmes on anti-corruption.” (The Nation)

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