By: Oluwaseye Ogunsanya
Claim
The EFCC has released a list containing at least 58 former governors who were involved in corruption scandal.
Verdict
False. We traced the origin of the list to an earlier report as the original narrative was changed and it has also been denied by the EFCC.
Full Text
On social media, a viral post claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, has reportedly released a list of least 58 former governors were involved in the misappropriation, embezzlement or laundering of approximately N2.187 trillion over a span of 25 years
According to the post which was widely reported by various news outlets and blogs here and here and also circulated by social media users, the amount does not include properties seized worldwide or those currently being investigated, which amount to billions of Naira.
Given the subject’s prominence, FactCheckAfrica decided to initiate this report.
Verification
FactCheckAfrica conducted a keyword search and found that the narrative originated from a news analysis by Vanguard News which revealed how 58 ex-governors allegedly looted N2.187 trillion, how there was no former governor among EFCC’s 6,981 convictions in 3 years, how only 4 former governors convicted in 21 years and how Nigeria produced 170 governors in 25 years.
The analysis also went ahead to reveal how the loot is equivalent to state governments budgets by geopolitical zones including Lagos State.
However, a further search led us to a report by TheCable stating that the EFCC has denied the report that it released a list of ex-governors being investigated for alleged corruption.
As seen in a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s head of media and publicity, the agency described the report as “false and mischievous”.
The EFCC added that it neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.
Conclusion
Therefore, the claim that EFCC released a list of at least 58 former governors being investigated for misappropriation, embezzlement, or laundering of approximately N2.187 trillion is false.
