The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has identified poverty reduction, stronger efforts against cybercrime and a change in public attitudes as key measures needed to effectively combat corruption in Nigeria.

The EFCC’s Director of Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, made the observation during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, stressing that enforcement alone cannot eliminate corruption.

Uwujaren said the commission had made significant progress in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases as well as recovering assets, but argued that the problem required a broader response involving government institutions, communities and citizens.

He said reducing economic vulnerability and addressing the growing involvement of young Nigerians in cybercrime would complement the commission’s enforcement efforts.

According to him, Nigeria must approach corruption from both preventive and enforcement perspectives while encouraging a shift in societal attitudes towards corrupt practices.

Speaking on the EFCC’s reported recovery of about N1.23tn and $684m within 34 months, Uwujaren attributed the figures to institutional and procedural reforms introduced by the commission’s current leadership.

He said the reforms had improved professionalism, case management and the speed at which investigations and other processes were handled.

Uwujaren, however, clarified that the reported recovery figures did not represent funds sitting entirely in government accounts.

He explained that the EFCC classifies recoveries into direct and indirect categories, with direct recoveries made on behalf of the Federal Government and indirect recoveries involving individuals, companies and other victims of financial crimes.

He stressed that recovered funds were handled in accordance with the law and that the EFCC did not retain any portion of the money recovered.

On disciplinary measures against EFCC personnel, Uwujaren said officers could face sanctions for violating the commission’s rules and standard operating procedures, noting that dismissal or prosecution did not necessarily mean an officer had committed financial fraud.

He said internal accountability mechanisms applied to EFCC personnel in the same way that the commission enforces the law against individuals outside the organisation.

Addressing the commission’s conviction figures, Uwujaren said EFCC cases covered nine major categories of financial crimes, including advance fee fraud, cybercrime, economic governance fraud, tax fraud and money laundering.

He cautioned against the perception that the commission’s activities were dominated by “Yahoo Yahoo”, saying cases involving grand corruption, money laundering and virtual asset fraud were increasingly prominent.

Uwujaren also raised concerns over the use of cryptocurrencies to conceal or move proceeds of corruption, including funds linked to politically exposed persons.

He explained that the high number of cybercrime cases could create the impression that the EFCC focuses disproportionately on such offences because they are generally concluded faster than complex cases involving grand corruption and money laundering.

According to him, major corruption cases can remain in court for years because of procedural objections, appeals, changes in judges and difficulties in recalling witnesses.

He said defendants with substantial resources could exploit legal processes to prolong proceedings, while the transfer of judges could sometimes require trials to begin afresh.

On allegations of political interference in EFCC investigations, Uwujaren maintained that the commission investigates alleged violations of the law irrespective of political affiliation.

He acknowledged, however, that President Bola Tinubu’s directive halting the investigation involving Osun State was an unusual situation, saying the EFCC, as part of the executive arm of government, was obligated to comply with directives from the President.

Uwujaren said the development did not mean the commission had abandoned its independence, noting that investigations generally take time when authorities seek to establish facts thoroughly.

He also cited the commission’s record of more than 10,000 convictions in less than three years as evidence of the impact of ongoing reforms, expressing confidence that the changes would help accelerate the resolution of outstanding high-profile cases.

On the disposal of recovered assets, Uwujaren said the EFCC operates under the Proceeds of Crime Management Act and has a specialised department responsible for managing the process.

He said the commission’s most recent asset disposal was conducted online and publicly to promote transparency and ensure compliance with the law.

Uwujaren further disclosed that the commission had expanded its approach to fighting financial crimes by placing greater emphasis on prevention.

He said the Fraud Assessment and Control Department, established to identify potential financial losses before they occur, had helped prevent the loss of more than N4bn.

According to him, interventions by the department had also resulted in contractors returning to abandoned project sites to complete contracts for which they had received public funds.

He said the strategy represented a shift from merely pursuing suspects after funds had been stolen to preventing the theft from occurring in the first place.

Commenting on Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, Uwujaren said the EFCC played a major role in strengthening the country’s enforcement of anti-money laundering regulations.

He particularly highlighted the commission’s activities in tackling money laundering and irregularities within the Bureau de Change sector, saying the efforts helped demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to addressing deficiencies identified by the international body.