The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has responded to complaints from bidders who accused the agency of irregularities in its recent car auction across the country.
The auction, which took place between January 20 and January 27, 2025, saw many bidders sharing screenshots on social media, showing extremely high bid amounts. Some mid-range and luxury vehicles were listed at prices between N1 billion and N330 billion, leading to confusion and withdrawals from some participants.
A bidder, Daniel Momoh, took to X.com to express his frustration.
“Dear EFCC, it is a pity that you and your auctioneers cheated us out of a legitimate process. I won four different vehicles, namely: Toyota Venza – N2,670,000; Lexus ES350 – N2,000,000; Lexus IS250 – N2,520,000; and Toyota Camry – N1,500,000.”
“I woke up this morning to see that my name had been replaced with another name, and I was blocked from accessing the auction website with my registered account.”
Another bidder, #Kennylekel, wrote: “EFCC, the website for the auction suddenly showed an ‘error 502’ message 43 minutes before the end of the bidding! We hope this was not intentional to select preferred bidders. I have been bidding since 11 a.m. Kindly respond.”
Another user, CIA, alleged that the auction was only a cover-up.
“This auction is just damage control. The listed cars have already been sold to EFCC staff and their close associates for very low amounts. If you later buy from them, you might even be accused of fraud and arrested.”
A bidder identified as Baron El’Sama claimed that the system was rigged.
*”The auction you conducted was a sham! The auctioneers you hired allowed a bid of N350,000,000,000 for a Lexus RX 350 Jeep. This was not a glitch; it was a deliberate attempt to block others from bidding.”
Another user, Hafiz Bawa, called for an investigation, alleging fraud.
*”The highest bidder placed excessively high bids on purpose, knowing they would not pay. This allowed the second-highest bidder, likely a collaborator, to win at an inflated price. This tactic prevented fair competition. I urge an immediate investigation into this issue.”*
Responding to the allegations, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, denied any wrongdoing. He explained that the commission had no role in the auction process as it was handled by government-licensed auctioneers.
“It is between the auctioneers and the public; it has nothing to do with us. We did not interfere in any of the processes at all,” Oyewale said.
He also suggested that some individuals may have placed outrageous bids to sabotage the process.
“If anyone has proof of wrongdoing, they should bring it forward. Even my close friends could not use my influence to get a car from the auction.”
Last week, the EFCC announced the auction of over 850 forfeited vehicles across different locations in Nigeria. The cars, which ranged from luxury vehicles to mid-range Toyota Camrys, were seized during investigations into **corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime.
The EFCC stated that the auction followed legal guidelines under the EFCC Act (2004), Public Procurement Act (2007), and Proceeds of Crime (Recovery & Management) Act (2022). The commission also promised that the process would be transparent and fair.
Despite this assurance, bidders continue to call for an investigation into the auction process.
