The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has pledged to review complaints arising from its recent public auction of forfeited vehicles, following reports of unsatisfactory experiences from participants.
The commission acknowledged concerns ranging from website accessibility issues to participants being locked out after submitting bids, as well as allegations of inflated bid prices. Addressing the situation, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale stated on Thursday that while the auction was designed to be seamless and transparent, certain challenges affected the process.
“The complaints arising from the exercise are unfortunate. The online auction platform was intended to ensure seamless and transparent participation, but challenges such as over four million participants and unstable internet services affected the process,” Oyewale said.
The auction, which took place from January 20 to 27, 2025, was monitored by the EFCC. However, the commission confirmed that technical glitches had occurred. Oyewale noted that these issues were communicated to the accredited auctioneers overseeing the process for corrective action.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission notes with concern the reported unsavoury experiences of some Nigerians who participated in the just concluded public auction of forfeited vehicles conducted by accredited auctioneers on behalf of the commission,” he stated.
He explained that complaints included difficulties accessing auction websites, participants being locked out after bidding, and concerns over high bid prices. However, he clarified that the EFCC, while responsible for monitoring the process, could not directly intervene due to its legal obligation to assign the auction to 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.
The commission assured the public that it is awaiting a report from the auctioneers and will review legitimate complaints to ensure fairness.
“Without making excuses for the auctioneers, it is possible that the sheer number of participants in the exercise (over four million) perhaps stretched the carrying capacity of the online facilities of the auctioneers, while unstable internet service in parts of the country exacerbated the challenge,” Oyewale added.
He further assured that successful bidders who did not encounter issues would receive their vehicles as scheduled. “The commission’s only interest in the public auction is to ensure that the assets are disposed of in the most transparent manner and that the nation gets value for the assets. This cannot be compromised under any circumstance,” he stated.
The auction, conducted by accredited auctioneers on behalf of the EFCC, was part of efforts to dispose of assets recovered during investigations into corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime. However, the process was marred by complaints, with several bidders taking to social media to express dissatisfaction.
Common grievances included being locked out of the auction websites after submitting bids, experiencing technical glitches, and concerns over unexpectedly high bid prices. The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent process and has promised to address legitimate concerns raised by participants.
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