CHANNELS TELEVISION
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has distanced itself from a purported list of ex-governors under investigation for alleged corruption in circulation.
On Saturday, several reports emerged in the media (not Channels Television) that 58 former governors were under the radar of the anti-graft agency. They were accused of misappropriating N2.187 trillion over 25 years.
According to reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted.
But in a statement on Sunday, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, described the reports as false and misleading.
He said the “so-called list is a disingenuous fabrication designed to achieve motives known only to the authors.”
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, feels obliged to dissociate itself from a phantom report circulating in sections of the media claiming it has released a full list of ex- governors being investigated for alleged corruption,” the statement read.
“The report headlined: “EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex- Governors that Embezzled N2 .187 Trillion”, in one of the news outlets, is false and mischievous as the Commission neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.”
The anti-graft agency urged the public to disregard the report, saying “it is false and misleading.”
It also urged media practitioners to crosscheck facts about matters under investigation with the Commission to avoid misleading the public with false and inaccurate reports.