Two months after EFCC auction, bidders lament silence on glitches

Over two months after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concluded the public auction of forfeited vehicles, which was marred by glitches, auctioneers and bidders are worried over the commission’s delay in releasing the reports surrounding the circumstances that occurred during the process.

The EFCC, through its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, had disclosed that relevant departments of the commission monitored the exercise and confirmed that there were glitches, adding that the observation was communicated to the auctioneers for remedial action.

According to Oyewale, the commission, since January, has been waiting for the report of the auctioneers and assured that genuine complaints by members of the public will be reviewed to ensure that no one is short-changed in the exercise.

He added that those who followed through the process without glitches and emerged as winners will certainly be allocated their vehicles.

“The commission’s only interest in the public auction is to ensure that the assets are disposed of in the most transparent manner and the nation gets value for the assets. This cannot be compromised under any circumstance,” he added.

Speaking with The Guardian, a businessman who bid for a vehicle but did not want his name in print lamented the failure of the anti-graft agency to conduct a controversy-free auction.

“It’s an indictment of the leadership of the agency. If they can’t organize a simple auction successfully, how will they be able to fight the hydra-headed corruption facing the country? I bid for a vehicle, and the system indicated that I won.

“The auctioneer asked me to pay, but to date, they have not released the car. We don’t know if some compromises are going on. But I am counting on the EFCC chairman to do the right thing.

“I learned he is a pastor, so all eyes are on him to give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. All I want is my car; they should release it without further delays. Their silence is not golden,” he declared angrily.

An auctioneer who also spoke in confidence with The Guardian noted: “We don’t know what is happening, no information or updates from the EFCC since they said they would investigate the controversy surrounding the auction. Since that time, the NDLEA has organized an auction, which was very successful. I don’t know why EFCC can’t get its act together.”