SUSPENSION OF NEMA DIRECTORS; EFCC SHOULD EXPEDITE ACTION ON PROBE – CACOL

Following the recent indefinite suspension of 6 directors by the board of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA in connection with an ongoing financial probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in the agency, Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has called for a quickening of the processes.

The decision of the board was based on the request by the EFCC to the Presidency for the disciplinary measure in order to enable it carry out its duties without hindrances to information. The investigations will review NEMA’s financial years for 2011 to 2015. The EFCC in January 2018, instigated investigations of corruption into the former Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammed Sani-Sidi whose tenure was supposed to end in 2018 but was sacked in 2017 by the President, and other serving directors of the Agency.

Adeniran said, “the decision is logical as it will enhance expeditious actions by the EFCC in the probe of the NEMA scam, it is thus commendable. If those who are under investigations remain in office while being investigated, the processes could easily be compromised by those affected particularly those at the top hierarchy in the agencies such as these directors; information can be manipulated, evidences could get destroyed, any sort of antic could play out whereby culprits end up evading justice.”

“The NEMA situation is the sort of situation that should obtain whenever any of our public or elected officials are under investigations or probes. We congratulate and commend the board of NEMA for their bold and exemplary step while we call on the EFCC to take advantage of situation to expedite action on investigations with a view to establishing the culpability or otherwise of the suspended directors. Most importantly, the logical conclusion to the whole episode is to prosecute diligently to achieve the conviction of the culpable."

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