We will reopen Odili’s investigation, says EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said it would re-open the investigation of former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili.

It said the injunction obtained by Odili was being challenged at the Supreme Court.

Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu said subsequent judgments have held that the agency cannot be restrained from investigating anyone.

He spoke with reporters during a visit to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

According to him, the judgment stopping the commission from investigating Odili can not stand.

He said the Commission would track and expose high profile financial crimes in the country.

Magu said Rivers has the second-highest number of money laundering cases after Lagos.

Magu said: “I think Rivers is the next to Lagos in terms of crime. This is the headquarter of money laundering because there is a lot of oil money here.

“I think you can rate Port Harcourt the second to maybe Lagos, maybe because of the large space of oil deals.

“Nothing is going to stop us. Even the issue of the court order allegedly obtained by Dr Peter Odili and co to stop the EFCC from investigation and prosecution is still at the Supreme Court. We are on it.

“I am telling you that, that judgement cannot stand; it will only take some time but it cannot hold and we are going to conclude the investigation.

“There are so many investigations we are doing. I am sure the matter has suffered for about 13 years now. We are going to test it. The matter is in the Supreme Court. We will follow it up.

“That decision that is pending in the Supreme Court cannot hold water again. There is a subsequent judgment that has overridden it.

“Other judgements say nobody, not even a judge, not even the Judiciary, not even the court can stop us from investigating and prosecuting,” he said.

He said the commission secured 1, 245 convictions last year.

Magu called for Nigerians’ support in the fight against corruption.

He warned those engaged in oil bunkering in the Niger Delta to desist from such economic sabotage.

According to him, illegal oil bunkering is a terrible leakage of the economy and the EFCC would not relent in fighting it.

“Let me also use this medium to warn against illegal oil bunkering. Perpetrators should desist from their nefarious operations.

“The EFCC is resolute in its fight against economic sabotage and oil theft.

“The Niger Delta is highly significant to our national economy and the Commission will continue to do all that is lawful and patriotic in ensuring that operators of illegal oil bunkering are brought to book,” he said.

The EFCC Acting Chairman, who is on a working visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Commission, stressed that illegal oil dealers would face tougher times in the new year.

He visited the 6th Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, where vehicles forfeited to the Federal Government by illegal oil dealers are parked.

Magu explained that all the forfeited vehicles belong to the Federal Government and the processes for their auction ongoing.

“We are following processes stated in the Procurement Act. We are not hiding anything. All the vehicles auctioned are still there.

“The auction processes continue until payments and reconciliation are made,” he said.