No Mega Financial Fraud Is Possible Without Lawyers –EFCC Chair

The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, says no mega financial fraud, especially illicit financial flows, is possible without lawyers’ support.

Olukoyede stated this during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 5-day event is titled: “Optimising the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria: How to Navigate Emerging and Systemic Challenges of Insecurity and Economic Hardship.”

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According to the EFCC chairman, the transfer of huge funds into offshore accounts, preferable in tax haven are aided by lawyers.

The most traumatic discovery of the EFCC in recent years was the subjugation of national interest and wellbeing to personal interest by lawyers who aided briefcase foreign investors to fleece the nation in dubious transactions.”

“The P&ID scam, the Mambilla Power Project and Sunrise issues are cases in point,” he said.

He said while the anti-graft agency had had cause to prosecute judicial officers and senior lawyers and earned conviction, his respect for the bench and senior members of the bar remained undiminished.

However, based on the unique experiences of the EFCC in the prosecution of corruption cases, I am particularly interested in systemic reforms in our justice delivery system that capture: The process for the discipline and regulation of judicial officers. The regulation and discipline of legal practitioners. Ethics, values and standards of legal practice. These are essential to me because the job of EFCC is ensuring that the corrupt does not find space in our national life. And when they do, to make them pay for their deeds,” he said.