By Olalekan Awojodu
An Abuja based Lawyer and Human Rights Activist, Mr Kingdom Okere has condemned the move by the National Assembly to scrap the EFCC, warning that AGF Malami overbearing power will diminish the agency.
According to Okere, making EFCC a department under the Attorney General and Minister of Justice office is not a good idea.
Okere who noted that although the AGF office has the power under section 174 of the 1999 constitution to continue and discontinue any criminal proceeding before judgment however, frowned at the politicization of the EFCC issue.
Arguing further, he said, “Although EFCC had over the years made itself a controversial witch-hunt agency in the hands of the government in power, it was not enough to now allow AGF Malami to use it for personal vendetta and then render it grossly inefficient.
“The office of the AGF will totally kill the already dead EFCC. For instance, about three million cases are laid in the ministry seeking diligent prosecution. I also have a pending matter at the court of appeal and for more than six months after a brief of argument has been served on the office of the AGF till date they have not filled their brief of argument.
“This is one among many million cases the office of the AGF is frustrating. It is a bad move, even if the EFCC over the years have underperformed and allowed it’s self to be politically influenced, making it an agency under Malami will totally destroy it.
While cautioning the AGF, he noted with dismay the invasion of Judges residence the removal of a sitting Chief Justice of Nigeria with an ex parte order and attempt to destroy the NBA using his office, all of which happened under his watch, describing it as unbecoming.
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