THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC) has said it recovered over 1 billion naira within seven months in the South-South States.
The commission said this in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, during a protest by the Coalition of Civil Rights Organisations, Concern Youths and the Ijaw Nation Worldwide on the probe of the former first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
Addressing the protesters, the South-south Zonal Head of EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, noted that the amount it recovered falls in two categories, explaining that part of the money was from politicians, whereas, the other was from cases reported to the commission.
Salihu averred that the commission recovered over 500 million naira from top politicians in the region within the stipulated months.
The EFCC boss said: “Between January 2nd and 2nd of September alone, the EFCC South-South office has recovered 1 billion, thirty million, and five hundred and fifty five thousand naira sixty-two kobo (1,030,555,000, 62). What I said can be verified, there are records on that.
“The amount falls into two categories. One, recovery for the Federal Government and the State Governments as it were and recoveries from politician, and individual persons that reported their cases to the EFCC whom their money have been returned.”
Salihu added: “We have Recovery Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria. The last time I checked, we have recovered from politicians over five hundred and fifty five million naira (500, 055, 000) that make up the 1 billion naira.
“Nobody should justify the criminal illegality that has been going on. Our motto is, ‘Nobody is Above the Law’. There is nothing like selective cases in the EFCC. We are professionals to the core.
