The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has hinted at the possible investigation of ministries, departments, and agencies that were implicated in the findings of the 2021 consolidated financial statement audit report released by the office auditor general last year.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, gave the hint at the Public Presentation of the Report on the Review of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index Assessments for 2019-2024, organised by the Technical Unit on Governance & Anti-Corruption Reforms held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Olukoyede, speaking during his goodwill message, confirmed that the commission has received the report from the auditor general and has commenced work on it.
He also revealed that the commission had made a substantial recovery from oil and gas firms indicted in the NEITI 2023 audit report.
Although the EFCC chairman didn’t mention the specific year and agencies being investigated by the anti-corruption body, The Punch recalls that last year, the office of the Auditor-General released its 2021 consolidated financial statement report, which uncovered a series of financial misappropriation and dealings that affected revenue remittances to government coffers.
The report indicted the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for alleged misappropriation of funds and diversion of revenue worth N514bn meant for the Federation in 2021.
It also revealed that over N17.105tn was overdrawn from the consolidated revenue fund of the government in the same year.
The 558-page report submitted to the National Assembly further alleged that the Central Bank of Nigeria misappropriated N2.73tn in interest payments from Ways and Means advances amongst other infractions.
Olukoyede said, “Last year alone, I shared with the NEITI Executive Secretary how much we recovered from the audit report they submitted to us. And so, we must encourage ourselves.
“We had a situation where we could pay salary for two, three months without revenue from the extractive industry. That was a major plus for the current government in Nigeria. It was a major one. That shows that we have been able to block some leakages. It is the work that NEITI is doing.
“Also, we got an audit report from the auditor general as well and we are working on that right now. I also visited him some time ago just for us to synergize and to encourage ourselves. So, what we need mostly is that synergy between the executive, legislative, and the judiciary.”
Speaking further, the anti-corruption czar outlined Nigeria’s significant progress in the fight against corruption over the past year, despite global perceptions to the contrary.
He shared insights into the country’s strengthened anti-corruption efforts, citing the financial autonomy granted to Local Government Areas through a Supreme Court ruling as a key example.
The EFCC boss described the financial autonomy as a significant achievement that has yet to receive the international recognition it deserves.
He said, “I slowly say the fact that in the last year, the various stakeholders, the anti-corruption department, including the legislature, including the executive and the judiciary, have made some tangible progress in our fight against corruption.
“And we know what is going on behind that. There was this very intervention. Of course, you are all aware of the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of the local government. That is a great relief.
“The international community does not acknowledge that. We have to acknowledge that by ourselves and form it up. It is a key development and advancement in the course of fighting corruption.”
In the review of Nigeria’s Corruption Perception Index 2019-2024, presented by Prof Babajide Fowowe, Nigeria recorded no overall change in her scores. He said Nigeria recorded a CPI score of 26 in 2019, ranking 146 out of 180 countries.
In 2024, according to the review, Nigeria achieved the same CPI score of 26 and ranked 140 out of 180 countries, which represents the highest score for the period under review.