EXTRA: Ekiti sets up its own ‘EFCC’

A bill for the establishment of Ekiti Economic Crimes Commission (EECC) has scaled second reading at the state’s house of assembly.

The executive bill was sent to the house by Ayodele Fayose, governor of the state.

If passed, Ekiti will be the first state in the country to have an independent body charged with the responsibility of investigating economic crimes.

Writing via his Twitter handle, Fayose said is in line with the tenets of a federal system of government, which Nigeria practices.

He wrote: “A bill for the establishment of Ekiti Economic Crimes Commission (EECC) that I sent to the house of assembly was today, sent to the house committee on public accounts and anti-corruption.

“It has passed second reading.

“Nigeria is a federation and we must run it like one.”

A bill for the establishment of Ekiti Economic Crimes Commission (EECC) that I sent to the House of Assembly was today,  sent to the House Committee on Public Accounts & Anti Corruption. It has passed 2nd reading.Nigeria is a federation and we must run it like one.

— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) January 31, 2018

This comes a day after a federal high court in the state held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacked powers to investigate finances of a state.

Taiwo Taiwo, the presiding judge, had said only the house of assembly and the auditor-general of a state were legally empowered to monitor and investigate the finances of a state.