Leak of high-profile individuals under probe has damaged to our work –EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says
the leak of names of high-profile individuals under investigation
has done damage to its work.

Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria; Okonjo-Iweala, former
finance minister; Kayode Fayemi, minister of solid minerals, and
Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, had been listed as some of
those under investigation by the commission.

Reacting to the reports, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC, said the
information was not leaked by the anti-graft agency.

He said the leak had done damage to the commission’s
investigation because most of the cases were still at the
preliminary stage.

“It is important to state that this report did not emanate from
the EFCC and the allusion to ‘an EFCC source’ is diversionary and
mischievous,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, cases under investigation
communicated to the office of the attorney-general of the
federation by the commission are classified information and it is
troubling how such would be leaked to the media.”

He also said the commission was not investigating Onnoghen and
Abdul Kafarati, a justice of the federal high court.

“The mastermind of this leak is out to create disaffection
between the commission and, particularly, the judiciary. The
commission wishes to state categorically that it is currently not
investigating Justices Onnoghen and Kafarati,” he
said.

“While Onnoghen was being considered for his present position,
the commission received some petitions which were investigated and
found to be without merit and discarded.

“Indeed, much damage has been done to the commission’s
investigation activities by this leak especially as some of the
cases mentioned are still at preliminary stages of
investigation.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says
the leak of names of high-profile individuals under investigation
has done damage to its work.

Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria; Okonjo-Iweala, former
finance minister; Kayode Fayemi, minister of solid minerals, and
Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, had been listed as some of
those under investigation by the commission.

Reacting to the reports, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC, said the
information was not leaked by the anti-graft agency.

He said the leak had done damage to the commission’s
investigation because most of the cases were still at the
preliminary stage.

“It is important to state that this report did not emanate from
the EFCC and the allusion to ‘an EFCC source’ is diversionary and
mischievous,” he said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, cases under investigation
communicated to the office of the attorney-general of the
federation by the commission are classified information and it is
troubling how such would be leaked to the media.”

He also said the commission was not investigating Onnoghen and
Abdul Kafarati, a justice of the federal high court.

“The mastermind of this leak is out to create disaffection
between the commission and, particularly, the judiciary. The
commission wishes to state categorically that it is currently not
investigating Justices Onnoghen and Kafarati,” he
said.

“While Onnoghen was being considered for his present position,
the commission received some petitions which were investigated and
found to be without merit and discarded.

“Indeed, much damage has been done to the commission’s
investigation activities by this leak especially as some of the
cases mentioned are still at preliminary stages of
investigation.”