Oil Subsidy: EFCC prosecutes 13 cases, recovers N5bn

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is presently prosecuting 13 different oil subsidy cases, while it has so far recovered about N5billion from persons and organisations indicted in the fuel subsidy scam.

 This revelation was made by the EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, recently during a town hall meeting on Fuel Subsidy organised by Africa Network of Economic and Environment Justice, ANEEJ, in collaboration with Justice for All, J4A, at Vines Hotels, Abuja.

 

Uwujaren said: “The EFCC is currently prosecuting 13 different oil subsidy cases, while investigations are on to bring other indicted persons or companies to justice. Investigation and prosecution of fuel subsidy cases have not been too easy for us but we are resolute in our determination to ensure that we push all those cases to logical conclusion.”

 

The image maker added that the Commission presently had a full fledge section charged with investigation of oil subsidy matters and other extractive industries issues. He said that as a Commission, the EFCC usually welcomes any initiative that draws public attention to the monumental fraud in the oil subsidy regime.

 

Mr, David Ugolor, Director, ANEEJ, who was at the event, said that the purpose of the meeting was to review how the anti-corruption agencies and the judiciary have fared so far in the investigation and prosecution of indicted persons and companies in the fuel subsidy regime and to also agree on measures needed to be taken to put pressure on Federal Government to do more in bringing indicted persons and or companies to justice.

 

 “It is widespread that payments of oil subsidy to oil marketers were inflated and several marketers got paid for doing nothing and expenses charged to subsidy account”. He emphasised the need to amend EFCC Act to create “special courts” for prosecution of corruption cases,” said Ugolor.

 

Mr. Otsemaye Newton, J4A, called for more synergy among the anti-corruption agencies and the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in investigating and prosecuting oil subsidy and other economic and financial crime cases.

 

Mr. Peter Ritchie who spoke on ‘Fuel Subsidy Fraud Background,’ criticised the manner public funds are being siphoned and called for prudence in the management of Petroleum Support Fund.

 

Ritchie also stressed the need for financial independence of anti-corruption agencies to further strengthen the war against graft in Nigeria.