Sophia Michaels
On Wednesday, activist Wole Oladapo expressed concern over the challenges faced by Nigerians in accessing funds recovered for them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Oladapo, the convener of Nigerians for Good Governance, in an open letter addressed to the chairman of the EFCC, a copy of which was obtained in Osogbo, applauded the anti-graft agency for the diligent and professional assistance rendered to Nigerians who have fallen victims of fraud.
He, however, declared that it has become difficult for people whose monies have been recovered to get the bank drafts of the recovered sums, owing to what he referred to as the ‘organizational bureaucracy’ of EFCC since December 2023.
According to him, many of these fraud victims whose monies were recovered were already distressed, adding that the delay in releasing the monies was gradually eroding their hopes raised by the recovery.
The statement partly read, “It is noteworthy to applaud the organisation for the diligent and professional assistance rendered to Nigerians who have fallen victim to fraud across various zonal commands of your organization.
“However, it has become difficult for poor and hapless Nigerians, whose monies have been recovered, to get the bank drafts of their recoveries monies released to them owing to what is observed as organizational bureaucracy since December 2023.
“Let me state categorically that some of the people whose monies are trapped are already distressed Nigerians, who saw the gleam of hope of the recoveries made but whose hope has been dashed by the delay in these being released to them.
“This in itself somewhat cast a negative shadow on the beautiful job done by the organisation.
“It is on this note that I plead that you use your good office to authorise the immediate release of bank drafts of such recoveries made across the zones, as some of these drafts will be expiring soon, which will make the organisation begin to re-arrest the fraudsters to revalidate such drafts, which will be another round of stress, in terms of resources for the organisation that is stretched, owing to the humongous amount of work that regularly await the personnel.”
