The Citizen Anti Corruption Volunteer Corp (CACVC) an NGO with interest in the fight against corruption in Nigeria has expressed utmost dismay over the call by the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Abubakar Mahmud, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) be stripped of its prosecutorial powers.

“We at CACVC and other anti-corruption coalitions in the country reject the proposal made by the Mahmoud-led NBA. We consider it a deliberate attempt to demystify and render the EFCC toothless, and impotent,” the body said in a statement issued on Friday by its National Chairman, Comrade Eze Harris Chuma.

It stressed that the CACVC is yet to understand how the redefinition of EFCC’s mandate as proposed by the NBA boss would yield positive results in the operations of the agency, urging the NBA president to concern himself first, with setting up anti corruption measures and well defined mechanism within its fold to checkmate the corrupt tendencies of the bar.

The group was of the view that the EFCC, as presently constituted is proactive, vibrant and courageous in the renewed fight against corruption in Nigeria. “We are not ignorant of some powerful forces that are obviously uncomfortable with the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign of the EFCC and are desirous to render the agency toothless by stripping it of powers to prosecute with the flimsy excuse that an agency that investigates cannot also prosecute.”

The CACVC said it sees nothing wrong with EFCC prosecuting cases, insisting that the NBA president goofed by calling for such action. The group called for support for the anti graft agency in their effort to stem corruption in both public and private entities.

The group further called on the NBA to partner with EFCC in making sure the agency achieves its set goals, declaring that the NBA has the primary responsibility of ensuring that the judiciary makes the job of the EFCC less cumbersome.

•Photo shows Comrade Eze Harris Chuma.

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