Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) performance in combating corruption in Nigeria: Buhari’s administration in perspective (2015-2020)

Abstract

Corruption remains a cankerworm that has continued to hinder genuine efforts towards development in Nigeria. Several efforts have been put in place to curb the menace but it still manifests in various forms. This study was carried out to specifically examine the extent to which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reduced money laundering in Buhari’s regime; to find out the extent to which the EFCC has reduced cybercrimes in Buhari’s regime and to assess how the EFCC has reduced the incidences of embezzlement of public funds in Buhari’s administration. The study was anchored on Deterrence theory espoused by Cesare Beccaria in 1764. The study adopted content analytical technique to analyze data for the study. The study revealed the following among others: that the EFCC has not significantly reduced money laundering in Buhari’s regime; that the EFCC has demonstrated commitments towards reducing cybercrimes in this regime and that the EFCC has not significantly reduced incidences of embezzlement of public fund in Buhari’s regime. The study concluded that development will continue to elude our country as long as corruption continues to ravage the polity. The study therefore, recommended among others that the operatives of the EFCC should always carry out thorough investigations in order to win more cases of money laundering.