Kehinde Fajobi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has addressed accusations regarding the recent car auction, which took place from January 20 to 27, 2025.
Several bidders have alleged irregularities, claiming outrageous bids for vehicles and possible manipulation of the process.
One bidder, Daniel Momoh, expressed his frustration on X.com, stating, “Dear @officialEFCC, it is a pity that you and your auctioneers cheated us out of a legitimate process I engaged in yesterday where I won four different vehicles.”
Other users also voiced their concerns about the auction. “EFCC, the website for the official auction for the cars suddenly brought out error 502 about 43 minutes to the end of the auction!!” said #Kennylekel.
Another user, identified as Hafiz Bawa, reported “alleged fraudulent activity” in the auction process, alleging collusion between high and short bidders to manipulate outcomes.
Despite these accusations, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, stated that the agency had no involvement in the auction process.
He emphasised, “It is between the auctioneers and the bidding public, it has nothing to do with us.”
Oyewale suggested that inflated bids might have been placed to sabotage the process, urging the public to provide evidence of any wrongdoing.
The auction was conducted by government-licensed auctioneers, with more than 850 vehicles, including luxury cars, up for bid after being forfeited in various financial crime investigations.
The EFCC had initially promised transparency in the auction, which was held across several Nigerian cities, including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
The EFCC has urged participants to submit evidence of fraud, claiming the process was fair and free from external influence.