The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said it secured a total of 3785 convictions across all its commands in 2022.
The figure, which emerged from a review of the anti-graft agency’s performance in the outgone year, shows a 70.5% improvement over its record for the year 2021 which was exactly 2220.
The EFCC revealed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday.
According to the agency, the figure also represents a 98.93% success rate in prosecution given that the commission lost only 41 cases, representing 1.07% within the period.
As it was in 2021, the Lagos Command of the agency recorded the most with 765 convictions, closely followed by the Ibadan command with 573 convictions and the Port Harcourt zonal command with 567, while the headquarters recorded 314 convictions.
The statement revealed that the conviction secured by the EFCC in 2022 is its highest since inception, and sustains an upward trajectory that began shortly after the emergence of the administration of President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
It added, “The Buhari administration was elected in 2015 on a tripod of promises- anti-corruption, economic recovery and security. In 2015, EFCC recorded a total of 103 convictions. This shot to 195 convictions in 2016, the first full year in office of the Buhari administration.
“The figure improved to 312 in 2018, 1280 in 2019, dropped slightly to 976 convictions in 2020, the year of covid-19, then moved up to 2220 in 2021.
“The percentile improvement of the EFCC convictions in the seven years of the Buhari administration from 103 to 3785, is over 3574.8%.”
Commenting on the performance, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, commended the personnel of the commission for their industry and dedication despite the challenges of criminal prosecution in court.
He assured that the EFCC will continue to motivate all categories of staff for greater efficiency through capacity development and other incentives.
