The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged legal practitioners to stop indulging in activities that encourage and inspirit crime suspects to circumvent justice.
He stated this in Lagos during the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, with the theme ‘Lawyers in the spotlight: Essential anti-money laundering considerations for the legal profession’.
Olukoyede, speaking at a breakout session, said that lawyers must bring financial crimes suspects to court and not help them to runaway from justice.
He said: “Don’t try to protect suspected criminals, people who must have committed financial crimes. So, if you know where, who or whatever we are looking for, it is your duty to bring that person to the open and we will do our part.”
The EFCC chief, whilst addressing the challenges of delayed prosecutions, noted that the anti-graft agency will make sure that cases are prosecuted no matter how long it takes, with total adherence to the law.
“My responsibility and mandate is to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. It’s one of our most priorities” Olukoyede said.
The EFCC Chairman, however, implored lawyers to perform their civic responsibilities as Nigerians and stressed the importance of mutual respect between lawyers and the commission.
He said: “We are all Nigerians before becoming lawyers and you must perform. Being a lawyer does not exempt you from your civic responsibilities, comply and do the right thing.
“Under my watch, everyone that comes to the EFCC will be treated with dignity, regardless of the circumstances.”
Speaking further, Olukoyede charged the National Assembly to enact laws that would support the whistle-blower policy of the Federal Government, noting that once the law is enacted, it will make it compulsory for law enforcement agencies to protect the whistle-blowers.
In his own comments, president of the NBA, Mr Yakubu Maikyau called for more synergy with the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies to fight corruption.