Prof. Attahiru Jega, ex-chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) needs to show that there are no ”sacred cows” in the fight against corruption.
Jega said this on Monday while reviewing a book launched by the EFCC in Abuja.
The launch of the book entitled, ‘curbing electoral spending’ was to mark the 2019 international anti-corruption day organised by the commission in collaboration with the Nigeria Shippers Council, maritime and transport stakeholders.
He asked African countries to restrategise their approach to fighting corruption,commended the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies for their effort in tackling financial crimes in Nigeria, but he said there is a need for the agencies to intensify their efforts.
He asked them to shun bias in their prosecution of persons alleged to have engaged in corrupt acts.
“Here in Nigeria, where corruption is in the increase compared to other African countries, we need to take the fight seriously,” Jega said.
“It is a day for sober reflection for us and for reviewing our experiences and restrategise to find better ways and means of improving the successes in the fight against corruption,” he said.
“While we commend them, they also need to intensify their efforts in the fight against corruption because we see that the more effort that is made, the more difficult it becomes.
“The EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies need to continue to demonstrate that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.
“We will want to see a rededicated effort in terms of effective utilisation in governance of resource saved from corruption.”
A recent report by the the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said there was a drop in the prevalence of corruption nationwide in 2019.