- Over 4 Million Participants Affected by Technical Hitches
- Commission Awaits Auctioneers’ Report to Address Concerns
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has responded to public outcry over issues surrounding its recent online auction of forfeited vehicles. Complaints ranged from website accessibility problems to participants being locked out after submitting bids, as well as concerns over inflated bid prices.
In a statement on Thursday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale described the complaints as “unfortunate” and acknowledged that technical difficulties had affected the process.
According to him, the auction was designed to be seamless and transparent, but an overwhelming number of participants—over four million—combined with unstable internet services led to unexpected challenges.
“The commission monitored the exercise, which took place between January 20 and 27, 2025, and confirmed that some glitches occurred,” Oyewale stated.
He explained that the concerns raised had been relayed to the accredited auctioneers managing the process for necessary corrections.
However, he emphasized that the EFCC’s role was limited to oversight, as the actual auction was conducted by licensed auctioneers in line with legal provisions.
“The EFCC notes with concern the reported negative experiences of some Nigerians who participated in the public auction. While we monitored the process, we could not directly intervene because the auction was handled by accredited professionals under Sections 4(a)(b) of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, and Section 55 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007,” he explained.
Despite the challenges, Oyewale assured that successful bidders who did not experience issues would receive their vehicles as scheduled. He also reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring fairness, stating that all legitimate complaints would be reviewed.
“The EFCC’s only interest in this auction is to ensure transparency and that the nation gets value for recovered assets. This principle cannot be compromised,” he added.
The auction, which was meant to dispose of assets recovered from corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime cases, was marred by widespread complaints. Several disgruntled bidders took to social media, reporting difficulties such as being locked out of auction websites, technical glitches, and excessively high bid prices that raised questions about the fairness of the process.
The EFCC has promised to review the auctioneers’ report and address genuine concerns to ensure that no participant is unfairly disadvantaged.
