Matilda Omonaiye/
A total of 312 convictions were secured between January and December 24, this year says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to a statement from the agency’s spokesman, Tony Orilade, the record of convictions almost doubled that of 2017 which was 189.
Orilade stated: “More significantly is that it includes the conviction of two Politically Exposed Persons, PEPs – Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye, a serving Senator and a former governor of Plateau State. Both are currently serving jail terms at Kuje Prison. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike, who has been stripped of the highly revered legal title, was also convicted for perverting the course of justice.
“Dariye and Nyame, who were sentenced to 14 years in prison had approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the “guilty” verdict handed down on them by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu presided over by Justice Adebukola Banjoko. However, while upholding their convictions, the Appellate Court commuted Dariye’s jail term to 10 years, and that of Nyame to 12 years with a fine of N495 million.
“With the convictions, the EFCC, led by Ibrahim Magu as the acting Chairman, has remained consistent in its concerted efforts aimed at ensuring that the negative narrative of pervasive corruption in the system is changed for the better, and the perception that some persons are above the Law is altered.
“The record of convictions cuts across the various offices of the EFCC with Lagos securing 85 convictions, Abuja with 53, followed by Kano with 36. Port Harcourt secured 33 convictions, Gombe recorded 28; Benin had 27; Enugu, 15; Maiduguri, 11; Ibadan, 10; Uyo, 8, and Kaduna, 6.”