192 PersonsConvicted By EFCC In First Quarter Of 2019.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ibrahim Magu revealed that the anti graft agency  convicted 192 corrupt persons in the first quarter  of the year. 

Ibrahima Mayu also disclosed that  the commission  recovered more than N251 billion within the three months.

He also said that, in 2018,  the anti-graft agency obtained 313 convictions, while more than 190 convictions have been made  since January 2019.

He went on to  appeal that  the House Committee should increase the budgetary allocation for the EFCC in 2019, in order to effectively carry out its duties.

The EFCC boss disclosed this  in Abuja when defending EFCC’s 2019 budget proposal before Nigeria House of Representatives committee on anti-corruption and financial crimes , he emphasized that “In the course of the year 2018 financial year, the commission obtained 313 convictions across its offices. It's interesting to know that the commission has also obtained 192 convictions from January 2019 to date.”

“In the first quarter of 2019 financial year, the commission made recoveries which includes cash recovery of N140.7 million, direct deposit of N2.021 billion, tax recoveries of N7.20 billion, subsidy recovery – N3.06 billion, and USD recovery of $292 million,” Magu said.

The EFCC boss said the financial recovery made it obvious that the  case of financial crime in the countrybis in the rise  as only N239.16bn was recovered in the whole of 2018.

Magu, however, pointed it out that incomplete budgetary releases is a major hindrance and the reason for the inability of the agency to meet its needs and obligations.

The chairman of the House committee, Kayode Oladele, promised the EFCC that the lawmakers would put their requests into consideration.

Oladele said the committee would continue to support the sustenance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s war against corruption and EFCC’s transformation into world-class anti-graft institution.