The Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has refuted claims that it published a list of former governors currently under investigation for N2.187 trillion alleged corruption by the anti-corruption agency.
In a statement on Sunday by the spokesperson the commission, Deye Oyewole, EFCC said the list did not emanate from them, adding that the report is both false and misleading.
A report headlined: “EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex-Governors that Embezzled N2.187 trillion”, in one of the news outlets (not Nairametrics) was purportedly issued by EFCC on Saturday.
According to reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were allegedly being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted.
Oyewole stated that the “so-called” list is a deceptive creation intended to serve purposes only known to its creators.
- “The report headlined: “EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex-Governors that Embezzled N2.187 Trillion”, in one of the news outlets, is false and mischievous as the Commission neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.
- “This invariably means that the so-called list is a disingenuous fabrication designed to achieve motives known only to the authors.
- “The public is enjoined to ignore the report as it is false and misleading.
- “The media is advised to endeavour to crosscheck facts pertaining to matters under investigation with the Commission to avoid misleading the public with false and inaccurate reports,” EFCC said.
Backstory
- On Saturday, a media outlet (not Nairametrics) reported that EFCC is prosecuting a substantial number of former governors, with at least 58 implicated in the misappropriation, embezzlement, or laundering of about N2.187 trillion over the past 25 years.
- According to the report, this figure does not account for properties confiscated worldwide or those still under investigation, which are worth billions of Naira.
- The report also claimed that the the N2.2 trillion stolen is comparable to the aggregate budgets of Lagos State and the South-East states for 2024, which are N2.25 trillion and N2.29 trillion respectively.
- In addition, it said the amount surpasses the 2024 budgets of the North-Central and North-East states, which stand at N1.89 trillion and N1.60 trillion respectively, by several billion.
