The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday conducted a public auction of over 190 vehicles and electronic devices at its Zonal Offices in Abuja, Benin, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan and Uyo.
The exercise was preceded by public inspection of the displayed photographs of the assets on Monday December12, 2022, where potential bidders viewed and identified the vehicles of their choice.
The EFCC auction proper commenced in the early hours of Tuesday, December 13, 2022 with various licensed auctioneers taking charge of the exercise at the designated centres.
At Paragon Demonstration School, Limit Road, Benin City, scores of potential buyers bid competitively for the 20 vehicles slated for auction. The process began at 10.am with the auctioneer putting the first car on sale to the highest bidder.
Kelly Osunbor, a human rights activist who observed the process commended the Commission for the transparency process. According to him, the open bidding gives credibility to the process. One of the bidders, Odiase Itua, called for a limit to the amount people can bid. According to him, some bidders intentionally raised the stake to frustrate others from winning. “I was shocked by what I saw. The amount was too much,” he said.
In Ibadan where 80 vehicles were auctioned, the exercise took place at the Adamasingba stadium, Ibadan, with a member of the EFCC Asset Disposal Committee and Director, Proceeds of Crime Management, CE Aliyu Yusuf on hand to coordinate the activities of the three licensed auctioneers, PSC International Investment Limited, Aikson Nwonkwo D.S. and Aliyu A. Kiliya &Co, selected to conduct the auction.
In a brief remark before the auction, Aliyu reiterated the integrity of the arrangement as well as the Commission’s determination to ensure the exercise was transparent.
He charged bidders to be disciplined and follow the approved guidelines for a seamless auction.
The exercise in Uyo took place at the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, along 4 lanes in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. It began at about 9.45 am and ended around 12. 35pm with 9 cars, two trucks, 11 computers and 9 mobile phones changing hands in an open and transparent bidding process conducted by Trevamteck K & G Limited, the auctioneer.
Dr. Nnamdi Enenwa who won a Mercedes-Benz C-Class said he was impressed with how the Commission conducted the exercise. “I was here at the venue yesterday during the inspection and today we came back for the auction exercise and it went very well. It was really well organized” he said.
Also, a representative of Civil Society Organisations, Mrs. Nkechi Udoh, Executive Director, Udeme Community Development Foundation, who observed the entire process, commended the Commission for a flawless auction process. “It was transparent and the auctioneers gave equal opportunity to all to bid publicly, and everyone heard everything. I like the fact that the venue was a neutral ground and was also accessible to all, so nobody felt intimidated. I must also commend the publicity because the turnout was a clear indication of a well-publicized exercise” Nkechi said.
In Kano, two cars, 16 mobile phones and one laptop were offered to the public by auction, while 35 vehicles, computers and electronic devices were put up for sale in Abuja, where hundreds of bidders participated in the exercise at the Car Park A of the Wuse Zone 2 office of the Commission.
According to Simon Idoko, a participant, the registration process went smoothly though the crowd was a bit unruly.
Bidding started at about 1pm and ended a few hours later with one R. Lawal the lucky winner of a Ford Explorer.
The ongoing sale of forfeited assets by the EFCC, began on December 6, 2022 at the Lagos Command of the agency.
Speaking during the exercise, Commander of the EFCC, CE Osita Nwajah, a member of the Asset Disposal Committee, said the EFCC gave the exercise wide publicity to ensure full participation by citizens.
“We gave this exercise a very wide publicity because we want total Nigerian participation. There is no hanky-panky, there is no underhand tactics. Everything that is done here is open and transparent, we want to be accountable to the Nigerian people.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
