A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni,
said on Thursday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
has become a monster, Punch report.
Owoseni, while describing Nigeria as a banana republic, said the
EFCC had become a willing tool in the hands of whoever was in
power.
The retired police officer spoke in Lagos at the 12th Annual
Business Luncheon of a commercial law firm, SPA Ajibade &
Co.
The luncheon with theme, ‘The forum for resolution of civil
disputes: The courts v law enforcement agencies,’ was chaired by
Justice Amina Augie of the Supreme Court, who was represented by
Justice Helen Ogunwumiju of the Court of Appeal, while a former
Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr Olasupo Shasore (SAN),
presented the lead paper.
Owoseni was on the panel of discussants alongside Justice
Biobele Georgewill of the Court of Appeal and the Chairman of the
Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos branch, Mr Lateef Akangbe.
While responding to the lead paper, Owoseni bemoaned what he
described as abuse of office and disregard for the rule of law,
saying the EFCC had become a monster.
He said, “The rule of law and the application and the
enforcement is interpreted based on which side of the divide you
are. If you are any of these governors today, the rule of law is
something to you; if you become the Vice-President today, the rule
of law is another thing to you; and we are seeing it.”
Owoseni traced the origin of the EFCC to the Task Force on Trade
Malpractices, which he described as a self-serving body created
purposefully to criminalise civil disputes.
He said, “That task force was used to seize properties, to do
all sorts of things and that was what metamorphosed into the EFCC.
Depending on which side of the divide you belong, to some of us,
the EFCC has become a monster.”
In his contribution, Justice Georgewill knocked the police and
the EFCC for the practice of making arrest before
investigation.
The Justice said, “In civilised societies, you don’t arrest,
detain and investigate; no! You investigate, arrest and detain. But
here, you arrest before you investigate; you detain before you
investigate. You are supposed to conduct preliminary investigation
before you arrest somebody. It is so unfortunate, the police and
the EFCC, you have to stop.”
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