As GEJ leaves, EFCC resumes chase of subsidy fraud suspects

Indications have emerged that the EFCC may reopen cases of alleged fuel subsidy fraud which it had put in the cooler since 2012.

Already, Vanguard gathered, that in the last two weeks, the anti-graft agency had invited some of the fuel subsidy suspects, who were indicted in the 2012 Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede-led Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of subsidy claims.

It was learnt on Sunday that the EFCC authorities decided to step up the investigation at the twilight of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration whose disposition towards the subsidy fraud and other corruption cases, sources said, did not encourage the prosecution of the suspects.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who did not want to be named, said one of the suspects, whose friend was also indicted in the Aig-Imoukhuede-led committee’s report, had already briefed him last week in anticipation that he would be invited soon by the EFCC.

According to the lawyer, the client’s friend has already been invited by the EFCC, adding that it is only a matter of time before he (the client) will also be invited by the anti-graft agency.

An in-house counsel with the EFCC, who also pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, also confirmed the development.

He said the EFCC never stopped investigation into the subsidy fraud, but had only been handicapped by the Presidency’s disposition towards the cases.

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