The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the
Nigerian Police Force can be said to be related on the basic of fighting crime.
The Nigeria Police Force is changed with a holistic duty for the maintenance of
law and order while the Commission is stereotyped for financial crimes. The Nigerian Police Force is
established by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. It is important to know that both the former and present
“point persons” of the Commission are Police Officers and that points to the
fact that both of them cannot be separated.
The far reaching implication of the
provisions of the Constitution is that the chairman of the commission, a
superior officer of the Nigerian Police, is subject to the
control, command and directive of the Inspector General of Police, for as long
as the chairman retains his position with the Commission.
The Nigerian Police Force and the
Economic and Financial crimes commission are both organized and administered in
accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National
Assembly. For examples, the Constitutional revision of the
Nigerian Police provides that the
Nigeria police force shall be organized and administered in accordance with
such provisions as may be prescribed by an act of the nation assembly.
The constitution also provision that the members of the Nigeria police force
shall have such power and duties as may be conferred upon them by them by the
law. The police act helps to expatiate on the provision above .
The
E.F.C.C. establishment acts provides for a liaison with the office
of the attorney-general of the federation, and all government security and law
enforcement agencies.The E.F.C.C. and the Nigeria police force
are some what related in a number of ways even as seen above. One
of the striking relationship between E.F.C.C. and the Nigeria police force is
that both commission can cause investigation to be conduced into the properties
of any person.
The maintains of liaison is also obvious
in their dealings. the E.F.C.C. functions in the area of maintaining data,
statisties, records and reports on persons, organizations proceeds, properties,
documents, other items or assets involved in economic and financial crimes.
Besides these functions, the Police Force is also known to keep records and
reports on criminal activities. At this juncture, it is sufficient
to say that the functions of the Commission and the Nigerian Police force are
embedded with the duplication of duties. The only difference might be the
fact that the Nigeria police forces has a wider scope.
It is
important to street here that the E.F.C.C. Act is not a creation of the
Constitution but a creation of the National Assembly. The
Commission was established by the executive through an Act of the National
Assembly and to that extent, every officer of the Commission is a public
officer. By virtue of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, it is submitted therefore that E.F.C.C. falls
under the category of Extra-Ministerial Department of the Federation, the name
given to it notwithstanding.