Emmanuel OchayiThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has addressed the concerns raised by Nigerians over its recently concluded online auction of forfeited vehicles. The Commission admitted that some participants experienced technical issues and assured that genuine complaints would be reviewed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, acknowledged the difficulties faced by some bidders. “We note with concern the reported unsavoury experiences of some Nigerians who participated in the just concluded public auction of forfeited vehicles,” he said.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAccording to the Commission, major complaints included website inaccessibility, sudden logouts from bidding platforms, and extremely high bid prices.
EFCC Blames Internet Issues and High Turnout
EFCC explained that over four million Nigerians participated in the bidding process, which may have overwhelmed the auctioneers’ online platforms. Oyewale said technical difficulties were anticipated but could not be directly addressed by the Commission during the auction.
“Without making excuses for the auctioneers, it is possible that the sheer number of participants in the exercise, over four million, stretched the carrying capacity of the online facilities of the auctioneers, while unstable internet service in parts of the country exacerbated the challenge,” he stated.
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He further clarified that EFCC only played a supervisory role and did not interfere with the auction process.
“The exercise was conducted by accredited and licensed auctioneers in line with Sections 4(a)(b) of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022 and Section 55 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007,” Oyewale explained.
Complaints Will Be Reviewed, EFCC Assures Public
Responding to concerns that some bidders were unfairly shut out, the Commission assured that it was reviewing complaints to ensure a fair process.
“The Commission is currently awaiting the report of the auctioneers and assures that genuine complaints by members of the public will be reviewed to ensure that no one is short-changed in the exercise,” Oyewale promised.
However, he maintained that winners who followed the process without issues would receive their vehicles.
“Those who followed through the process without glitches and emerged winners will certainly be allocated their vehicles,” he said.
EFCC Defends Online Auction Model
Despite the challenges, EFCC defended its decision to conduct the auction online, arguing that the process was designed to be transparent and accessible to millions of Nigerians.
“The complaints arising from the exercise are rather unfortunate and detract from the Commission’s plan to use an online auction, which was designed to provide a platform for seamless and transparent participation,” Oyewale stated.
He insisted that EFCC’s priority was ensuring that assets were sold transparently and that the country gained maximum value.
“The Commission’s only interest in the public auction is to ensure that the assets are disposed of in the most transparent manner and the nation gets value for the assets. This cannot be compromised under any circumstance,” he added.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
