Nigeria's EFCC faces criticism over dual role in seized vehicle auction

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced an electronic auction of vehicles seized as forfeited assets, planning to manage the process on its own online platform. The Nigeria Association of Auctioneers (NAA) president, Engr. Benjamin Abhulimen Isibor, warned that the agency’s simultaneous role as custodian and seller creates a conflict of interest and undermines transparency and due process. He noted that earlier EFCC‑led auctions conducted by licensed auctioneers remained incomplete, with successful bidders never receiving vehicles.

Isibor argued that the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022 does not permit the same government body to both hold and sell recovered assets. He referenced a similar controversy during former EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu’s tenure, when proposed foreign‑run sales were halted after the NAA’s outcry. The EFCC’s current pool includes a fleet linked to businesswoman Aisha Achimugu, valued at several billion naira, heightening public concern over the agency’s handling of high‑value assets.