Kwara civil society group praises EFCC’s rule of law

Kwara civil society group praises EFCC’s rule of law

Wednesday, 19 July 2023 A coalition of more than 20 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), supported by the Kwara CSO Observatory, commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its success in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Comrade Moussa Aliyu, convener of the group and executive director of the Center for Media Advocacy and Technology, particularly commended the Commission for making observance of the rule of law a watchword for its operations.

Comrade Aliyu was honored during the team’s courtesy call to Michael Nzekwe, EFCC Ilorin Regional Command Commander at the Ilorin State GRA Council Office.

He said the purpose of the trip was to strengthen the relationship with EFCC to ensure the effective implementation of the Criminal Justice Administration Act (ACJA) in the state.

According to him, the organization is committed to upholding justice, human rights and the rule of law, and the ACJA was enacted as an important legal framework aimed at improving the Nigerian criminal justice system.

He further noted that “ACJA embodies the principles of fairness, expeditiousness and respect for the rights of defendants and victims”, but lamented its poor enforcement, especially in Kwara State.

“Despite the laudable efforts to pass the ACJA in Kwara State, we have identified some challenges during its implementation which have adversely affected the administration of justice in the state,” said Comrade Aliyu.

The organization pledged to continue to support the EFCC in its efforts to achieve greater success in eradicating corruption in the country, while encouraging the Commission to maintain its enthusiasm for the war against corruption, noting that the fate of Nigerians rests in the Commission’s hands.

In his response, Nzekwe expressed his delight at the visit, noting that “there is hope in Nigeria that the fight against corruption will yield more positive outcomes if Nigerians decide to lead the fight.”

He said: “EFCC is one of the leading law enforcement agencies in Nigeria. Because we are the creators of the law, we have always complied with the ACJA and operate within the bounds of the law. Our officers are very professional and strictly abide by the rule of law. We have our code of conduct. We believe in the supremacy of the rule of law and we cannot compromise it.”

Nzekwe further stated: “EFCC is at the forefront of addressing the problem of illegal mining in the state. This threat is causing great damage not only to the local and national economy, but also to local communities.”

He vowed, “As illegal operators are not ready to give up their illicit dealings, EFCC will not relax its efforts to examine their activities and other forms of corruption in the state.”

The Regional Commander calls on civil society organisations, traditional rulers and other well-meaning Nigerians to join the committee to educate the masses about the ills of corruption, especially the illegal miners who infiltrate our villages to mine our mineral resources without licenses and due royalties paid to the Federal Government.”

Participating in the visit were Balqees Hamza, Global Builder Initiative; Musa Idris Buko, Grassroots Youth Sustainable Leadership Initiative (GYSLI); Mohammed Manzuma, Kwara North Group Alliance; Ajibade Kehinde, Albakar FM; Comrade u.

Beware of scammers: EFCC does not recruit

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is not currently recruiting. Therefore, the public is advised to disregard information circulating on social media claiming that the EFCC 2023 online recruitment will start on 4 July 2023.

The information is clearly the work of fraudsters and potential applicants are advised to follow the link (https//spukd.com/EFCC-2023-Recruitment-Portal).

The Commission warns the public not to click on any links not found on its website (efcc.gov.ng).

We also take this opportunity to urge members of the public to cross check any EFCC employment information on social media with the Commission.

arewanahiya.com