EFCC Has Now Become Symbol Of Joblessness, Misplaced Priorities — Sowore

Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the agency of focusing on minor offences instead of major financial crimes.

Sowore made the remarks in a post on his X account on Thursday while reacting to the invitation extended to activists Peter Akah and Precious Oruche, popularly known as Mama Pee, by the anti-graft agency over alleged naira abuse.

The EFCC had summoned the activists to answer questions regarding the alleged abuse of the Nigerian currency.

Reacting, Sowore said the commission had become distracted from its primary responsibility of tackling high-level corruption and financial crimes.

He described the agency as “a symbol of joblessness and misplaced priorities,” arguing that it was devoting its resources to pursuing less significant cases while those responsible for large-scale economic crimes remained untouched.

According to him, the commission should prioritise investigations into grand corruption, money laundering, procurement fraud, public asset theft and the looting of public funds.

He maintained that an anti-corruption agency should be committed to prosecuting major financial offenders rather than engaging in actions that weaken public confidence in its mandate.

“The EFCC has become a symbol of joblessness and misplaced priorities. The real economic and financial criminals appear to be beyond its reach, while the agency increasingly devotes its energy to pursuing easier targets.

“An institution created to combat corruption should focus relentlessly on grand corruption, public asset theft, money laundering, procurement fraud, and the looting of public resources, not distractions that undermine public confidence in its mission. EFCC is finished,” Sowore wrote.