Agency denies obtaining statements of suspects under duress

Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday denied the allegation that suspects being investigated by the commission were made to give statements under duress.

Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Spokesman of the EFCC, in a statement in Abuja, said Lamorde stated this during a visit to the commission by officials of Amnesty International.

"The EFCC follows the rule of law; our statements are recorded and are not taken under duress.

"Our rooms have cameras in them and the state-of-the-art recording facilities in the EFCC interrogation rooms will not allow any interrogator to humiliate a suspect,” the statement quoted Lamorde as saying.

The statement said that Lamorde, who expressed gratitude to the team for opening an office in Abuja, described corruption as the worst type of human rights abuse.

"Western countries must end the impoverisation of developing countries.

"They must reject and return stolen funds so that respective governments of the affected developing countries could use the money to better the lives of their citizens.''

The statement quoted Mr Colm Cuanachain, the Senior Director, Office of the Secretary-General, Amnesty International, as saying that nations committed to anti-corruption war had the tendency to experience ‘‘phenomenal growth’’.

Cuanachain, while expressing the readiness of Amnesty International to partner with EFCC, noted that corruption had contributed to human rights violation in the North-East and the Niger Delta region.

He said that death penalty, as punishment for looters of the treasury, was not the best option in the fight against corruption.