Nigerians Oppose EFCC, ICPC/Merger

Some Nigerians have opposed the proposed merger of the two anti-graft agencies- EFCC and ICPC-  in the fight against corruption.

Mr Mohammed Adoke, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, had called for the merger of the two agencies for optimum performance.

Those interviewed by our correspondent   in Jos  yesterday on the matter said each of the institutions was established for specific purposes and as such it was not necessary to merge them.

Mr. Absalom Boniface, a self-employed person, said that the  merging of the agencies would not enhance the campaign against corruption.

“Corruption is so sophisticated in our country today. The EFCC and ICPC must remain distinct if a headway in this crusade is to be made,’’ Boniface said.

He said there was the possibility of the officers working at cross purposes if the agencies were merged.

Mrs. Annabel Fortune, an Insurance Broker, said the agencies must remain separate to serve the purposes for which they were created.

“I may not be knowledgeable in their activities but from what I know, EFCC is more forceful while the ICPC is investigative.

“They should be allowed to continue to function as unique anti- graft bodies. The proposal for the merging of the two bodies is not in the public interest,” she stressed.

Miss Virtue Gordon, expressed the same sentiment as others and added:  ”we believe that the two are not the same and should not be made to look so.

“The government official calling for the merger may not have thought well before making the proposal.”

She said that merging the agencies was like bringing the police and army to function as one.

A teacher, Mr. Moses Dung, said that if there were inadequacies in the functions of the two bodies, the government should quickly address them.

“The level of corruption has gone so high and concerned authorities must think of new ways of amending the laws establishing them rather than merging them.

“Even among the police, there are those who investigate crime while there are those who perform other functions of maintaining  law and order.

“So it is with the EFCC and ICPC,“ Dung said.

He urged the government to  concentrate on tackling corruption.

An undergraduate, Mr Linus Peter, said he was more worried  about the name of the new agency.

“What name will it be given and who will step down for the other as the head of the new organisation?,”  he asked.