The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over a bank draft valued at ₦1.054 billion to 659 disengaged staff of the Adamawa State Post-Primary Schools Management Board. This recovery and handover demonstrate the EFCC's commitment to protecting the interests of victims of financial wrongdoing. The disengaged staff were employed in 2012 and served for 29 months before their appointments were declared illegal in 2014.
The EFCC's Acting Zonal Director of Gombe Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Austine Adache, reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to accountability, justice, and restitution of recovered funds to their rightful beneficiaries. Adache emphasized that the EFCC remains committed to ensuring that victims of financial misconduct receive appropriate redress in accordance with the law. The handover ceremony marked a significant milestone for the affected staff who have pursued the payment of their entitlements for years.
The recovery followed a petition submitted to the EFCC in 2024 by Abraham B. Song, who alleged that the beneficiaries were employed by the Adamawa State Government in 2012 and served for 29 months in various secondary schools across the state. The petitioner stated that their appointments were declared illegal by the state government in 2014, and the affected staff instituted proceedings before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Yola Judicial Division, sitting in Jos.
The National Industrial Court subsequently ordered the Adamawa State Government to pay the outstanding entitlements to the disengaged staff. However, the alleged failure to comply with the court's order resulted in garnishee proceedings against the state government's accounts. The EFCC received intelligence indicating a potential risk of suspicious misapplication of the funds and took steps to preserve the funds pending the outcome of its investigation.
The EFCC's investigation ultimately facilitated the recovery and restitution of the funds to the beneficiaries. Leading the beneficiaries, their counsel, Luka Musa Haruna, SAN, received the bank draft on their behalf and expressed profound appreciation to the Commission for its painstaking investigation and commitment to securing the recovery. Haruna stated that he had consistently maintained confidence in the EFCC's capacity to combat economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.
Abraham B. Song, the petitioner, commended the EFCC for its prompt intervention and noted that the recovered funds would significantly alleviate the financial losses and hardship suffered by the affected staff. The handover marks a significant milestone for the affected staff, who have pursued the payment of their entitlements for years, and demonstrates the importance of effective investigation and inter-agency engagement in the recovery and restitution of funds.
The recovery and subsequent handover underscore the EFCC's commitment to protecting the interests of victims of financial wrongdoing and ensuring that recovered proceeds are returned to their rightful owners. This achievement demonstrates the EFCC's unwavering dedication to accountability, justice, and restitution, and serves as a testament to the Commission's efforts to combat economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.
Key points
- EFCC recovers N1.054 billion for 659 disengaged Adamawa State Post-Primary Schools Management Board staff.
- The recovery follows a petition submitted to the EFCC in 2024 by Abraham B. Song.
- The EFCC's investigation facilitated the recovery and restitution of the funds to the beneficiaries.
