Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, has branded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a “terrorist organisation,” accusing them of abusing their powers to instill fear among Nigerians.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Friday, Agbakoba expressed concern over the agency’s conduct and its overlapping responsibilities with other law enforcement bodies.
Agbakoba called for a reassessment of the EFCC’s role, pointing out the confusion between it and other agencies such as the Special Fraud Unit and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
“Why do we have the EFCC, Special Fraud Unit, and ICPC all doing the same thing, yet they are not catching anybody?” he questioned.
While acknowledging some of the EFCC’s achievements, Agbakoba also criticised its handling of prominent cases, including the treatment of former police officials.
“Even Tarfa, as rogue as he was, being dragged – was that correct?” he asked, suggesting that their tactics reflect poor judgement. “In a sane society, do you bring a former Inspector General of Police and drag him? That’s not right.”
Agbakoba’s strongest condemnation of the EFCC was his description of their approach: “These guys are terrorists. In my view, they terrorize us. They use their might, in their red coats, to terrorize us so that when you hear EFCC, you become scared. That’s not what a law enforcement agency should be.”
He urged the National Assembly to clarify the EFCC’s role and called for reforms to ensure the agency functions as intended.