Human Rights Lawyer Inibehe Effiong Criticizes EFCC for Corruption and Misconduct

Babatunji Wusu –

• Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of having a corruption problem.
• Effiong, once a vocal supporter of the EFCC, now criticizes its methods and loss of public trust.
• He claims the EFCC engages in improper conduct, including raiding homes of innocent people and treating political cases with leniency.
• Effiong urges the EFCC to change its approach to regain public support in the fight against corruption.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has expressed his disillusionment with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that the agency has developed a corruption problem. Once a strong advocate for the EFCC, Effiong revealed on his X handle that he no longer supports the commission’s approach to fighting corruption.

Effiong noted that while he has historically defended the EFCC, even challenging judicial injunctions against its investigations and supporting the agency’s former Chairman Ibrahim Magu, his view of the commission has significantly changed in recent years. He cited issues such as corruption, partisanship, nepotism, and a lack of professionalism within the EFCC.

He criticized the EFCC’s tactics, particularly their aggressive raids on the homes of innocent individuals, often occurring at inconvenient hours. He condemned their treatment of people during such raids, including door-breaking and physical abuse, which, according to him, undermines public confidence in the agency. Furthermore, Effiong pointed out that the EFCC’s leniency toward politicians contrasts sharply with how they handle other cases, further eroding their credibility.

Effiong emphasized that while he remains supportive of efforts to fight corruption, he believes the EFCC needs to overhaul its approach to regain public trust. He stated that the war against corruption has been sidelined, urging the commission to make significant changes if it hopes to maintain public support.