Corruption: House ‘Kills’ Asset Forfeiture Bill
From Onwuka Nzeshi in Abuja THISDAY | Feb.25.2010

Nigeria’s anti-corruption crusade suffered a major setback yesterday as the House of Representatives threw out a bill seeking to provide a legal framework for the seizure, management and forfeiture of property acquired through unlawful activities. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has in the past two years canvassed support for the bill because of its belief that confiscating the proceed of financial crimes will deter political office holders from indulging in money laundering and primitive accumulation of wealth.

In a swift reaction to the death of the bill, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Drugs Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Honourable Bassey Etim blamed the failure of the bill on the poor awareness of its provisions and implications on the anti-corruption war in Nigeria.

According to Etim, the Economic and Financial crimes Commission ought to had carried out extensive enlightenment campaign on the bill before it was brought to the floor. He hinted that his Committee will in collaboration with the anti-graft agencies go back to the drawing board in order to re-present the bill at a later date.

The bill was designed to make provisions for the investigation of benefit derived from corruption and money laundering; give effect to request to and from foreign states for the restraint and confiscation of property used or derived from unlawful activity as well as extend the powers of law enforcement agencies in the handling of such crimes.

The bill which came for second reading yesterday engaged the attention of the lawmakers for about one and a half hours with majority of those who contributed to the debate expressing the need for the country to put in place such a legislation to strengthen the war against corruption.
It was however a rude shock when the moment of decision came and the voice vote went in favour of the few who openly spoke against the bill.

Apparently embarrassed at the death of another rather populist legislation in his hands, Speaker of the House,
Honourable Dimeji Bankole said: “This is an interesting House of Representatives. This is an experience for me because almost everybody spoke in favour of the bill.”
He looked across the expansive chamber in disbelief, paused and reluctantly hit the gavel, pronouncing the bill dead.

House Leader, Honourable Tunde Akogun who led the debate on the bill had identified corruption as the bane of the Nigerian society. Akogun observed that despite concerted efforts of government, organised crimes particularly economic and financial crimes have continued to thrive. The now rested piece of legislation, he said, would have enabled the law enforcement agencies to tackle frontally the menace of corruption by causing culprits to forfeit the proceeds of their criminal activities to the government.

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