The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has dismissed insinuations that the Federal Government interferes in the activities of anti-corruption agencies, insisting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) operate independently.
Speaking on Thursday at a management retreat of the Federal Ministry of Justice in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Fagbemi said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to strengthening the autonomy of the agencies in order to enhance their effectiveness.
“We don’t interfere in the investigation of corruption cases by anti-graft agencies. What we do is leave them because they are best suited, they are well organised, and that’s why they are put in place to try and do investigations in respect of an allegation or commission of a crime,” he stated.
The Minister explained that the Justice Ministry only takes over after agencies have concluded their investigations, at which point the legal process is assessed for gaps or further areas of inquiry.
“When they are done with their investigation, we take it up from there and see whether there are gaps or whether there are some other issues to be further investigated,” Fagbemi said.
Fagbemi stressed that the Nigerian Constitution already guarantees the independence of the EFCC and ICPC, making it unconstitutional for the Federal Government to interfere in their operations.
He further reiterated that President Tinubu’s government is determined to fight corruption to a standstill, noting that tackling the menace is crucial to unlocking national development and improving infrastructure.
“The Tinubu administration is determined to fight corruption to a standstill in order to create room for national development and improved infrastructure,” he added.
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