Africa Press-Nigeria:
The Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential Investigative Committee probing the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been reportedly granted judicial powers, it was learnt at the weekend.
According to The Nation, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal, and his members will consequently operate in line with Section 1 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (CAP T21,LFN, 2004), with powers to conduct public hearings, as against how it has so far been sitting in camera at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The report further indicated that the panel is expected to submit its report 45 days after its first public sitting.
The Salami-led panel was constituted to probe the activities of the EFCC under the headship of its suspended acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu between 2015 and 2020.
It would, among other things, probe high profile local and international cases, including that involving Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke and others; the $9.6billion judgment against Nigeria by Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) and complaints by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) in London.
It would also look into alleged non-compliance with presidential and ministerial directives; non-compliance with court orders; and non-compliance with procurement and financial management laws, amongst others.
