Senate mulls amendment of EFCC, ICPC Acts

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Legislature, Senate Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Inundated with reports of stifling the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Senators are contemplating amending its Act, together with that of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The proposed amendments aim to remove the two agencies from the control of the Attorney General of the Federation ( AGF) and place them directly under the Presidency. The amendments, it was learnt, is being modelled after those of China and Hong Kong which would ensure that the heads of both agencies report directly to the President.

Daily Sun gathered that, for the amendments of both Acts to take effect, lawmakers are also contemplating an amendment of section 174.
Section 174 empowers the AGF to have supervisory role over both Commissions and through that constitutional powers, can directly intervene in the affairs of both agencies.

A senator privy to the proposed amendments said: “We hope it will be possible for us to amend the provisions of the law establishing the EFCC and ICPC; to see if there is any way they could be reporting directly to the President. “This is because section 174 of the constitution allows the AGF to stop any prosecution against anybody at any stage.”

“Already, we have seen what is happening between the AGF and the EFCC Chairman. When you go to China, you go to Hong Kong and other areas where you have similar bodies, they report directly to the President.
Contacted on the proposed amendments, former Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta (PDP, Niger) declined to confirm the move, but admitted that, retaining the two Commissions under the AGF’s control must be looked into.

He also hoped that, should the amendment sail through, the President would not deploy the agencies to witch-hunt perceived political opponents. Speaking in an interview in Abuja at the weekend, Kuta said: “It is hoped that the President will be honest enough not to use them to witch-hunt anybody or to victimize anybody but as long as they would still be operating under the Ministry of Justice, they would still be having problems performing their duties.”

-Sunwp_posts