Strengthen EFCC don’t scrap it, Fintiri tells FG

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should not be scrapped but rather strengthened to improve its effectiveness.

Fintiri made this statement in response to a lawsuit filed by 16 state governors at the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of the laws establishing the anti-graft agency.

Speaking on Channels TV’s ‘Hard Copy’ programme on Friday, Fintiri said, “For me, it is not the right time to abolish the EFCC, whether it was established rightly or wrongly. We need to make it work better. We need to remove the politics that sometimes leads to claims of witch-hunting.”

The governor also criticised the federal government’s practice of taking custody of funds recovered from state-level fund embezzlement, describing it as improper.

“I heard the Attorney General of Oyo State complaining after a court session that, even though funds are shared among the three tiers of government—federal, state, and local—the Federal Government often oversteps by questioning how states and local governments spend their money,” Fintiri said.

“Even when funds are appropriated, the Federal Government takes it into their treasury. I believe this practice should be discontinued.”

When asked about his potential involvement in the suit challenging the EFCC, Fintiri said he would consult with his Attorney General before deciding.

“I will take a look at the suit and review it with my Attorney General to determine whether we will join,” he stated.