Umar says he never know EFCC is entitled to 5% of recovered cash

Mohammed Umar, the acting head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted surprisingly to reports that the agency is entitled to 5 % of the money it recovers from its convicts.

The acting EFCC boss told the House of Representatives committee on financial crimes that he was never aware of the provision of the law on the matter, The Nation reported.

I'm not aware EFCC is entitled to 5% of recovered cash, says acting chair

EFCC officials attend a budget defence session at the House of Representatives.

Umar made the statement on Wednesday, November 11, when he appeared before the committee at a budget defence session.

Some committee members noted that the EFCC was having huge unspent funds when other government agencies were facing financial crisis.

Abdulganiyu Olododo, One of the lawmakers on the committee urged the EFCC to transparent about its spending

He said:

"We want details of the expenditure by the commission. As one of the agencies respected and feared in the country, they need to be open and accountable in whatever they are doing."
In another report, the former chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler has been questioned by the EFCC over allegations of fraud.

According to The Cable, Fowler was invited on Monday morning, November 2, over an ongoing investigation involving a tax firm under his watch.

Fowler, a former Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), is being interrogated over an alleged N100 billion tax evasion against a tax consulting firm.

In another news report, a group, Follow The Money has called for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and EFCC to investigate federal government agencies responsible for the acquisition and distribution of COVID-19 palliative relief materials.

The leading social accountability initiative has been tracking intervention funds and materials disbursed to state governments to cushion the impact of the pandemic.

The group said the states had assured that palliatives were distributed accordingly, even though they refused to provide details of distribution and evidence of the same.