Vice Chairman of the South-East Constitution Review Committee, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publicly disclose the results of investigations where no evidence of wrongdoing is found.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, October 22, Nwaebonyi said such transparency would help dispel the belief that all politicians are corrupt.
“Most of these high-profile cases that have no prima facie case should be made public,” he said.
“That way, Nigerians will not say all politicians are thieves. We still have good leaders working to develop this country.”
The senator commended the EFCC for its progress in recent years, noting that the agency has moved beyond “media trials” to achieving real convictions.
“Before now, EFCC was doing more of media trials without results. But within these two years, the agency has secured many convictions, showing they are working. If they continue like this, corruption will soon be eradicated from our public system,” he added.
EFCC’s Independence Praised
Nwaebonyi also praised the EFCC’s leadership for maintaining operational independence while adhering to due process.
“Law is a game governed by rules and facts,” he said. “If someone is accused of embezzlement, it’s the EFCC’s duty to investigate and establish the truth. They’re doing a good job and are fairly independent in their work.”
He advised the agency to keep Nigerians informed about both successful prosecutions and cleared cases, saying such openness would boost public trust and reduce political tension.
“When investigations clear people of wrongdoing, EFCC should announce it. That transparency will build confidence and protect the agency’s integrity,” he noted.
Nwaebonyi’s remarks came shortly after the Presidency commended the EFCC for its “outstanding transformation and institutional maturity.”
Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, gave the commendation on October 16, 2025, during a visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
“Every day you visit the EFCC, you see how it has improved,” she said. “I’m not sure any organisation has grown the way the EFCC has since 2000.”
She applauded the agency’s staff for their dedication and urged them to sustain reforms that have made the EFCC a model anti-graft institution in Africa.
