Adamawa Governor: EFCC Should Be Strengthened, Not Scrapped

The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has expressed his opposition to calls for abolishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arguing instead for its reinforcement to improve its operational efficiency.

Naija News reports that Fintiri’s comments were in response to a Supreme Court case filed by 16 state governors challenging the legality of the EFCC’s establishment.

During an interview on Channels TV’s Hard Copy on Friday, Fintiri emphasized, “Abolishing the EFCC is not the solution, regardless of the circumstances of its creation. What we need is to improve its functionality and eliminate the political interference that often leads to allegations of witch-hunting.”

He also criticized the federal government’s practice of confiscating state funds recovered through corruption investigations, calling it inappropriate.

Fintiri said: “I heard the Attorney General of Oyo State raising concerns after a court session that, although funds are meant to be shared across federal, state, and local governments, the federal government frequently steps beyond its bounds by questioning state and local expenditures.

“Even when the funds are appropriated, they are taken by the federal treasury, which I believe is a practice that must end.”

Governor Fintiri added that he would decide whether to join the legal challenge against the EFCC after consulting with his Attorney General.