The acting Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has told the Inter-
Governmental Action against Money Laundering in West Africa that
Nigerian politicians are hell-bent on destroying the achievements of the
EFCC...
He said one of the ways they planned to
achieve this was through the creation of a new Nigerian Financial
Intelligence Unit which had party been accomplished through a bill that
had been passed by the Senate.
Magu said this in Abuja on Wednesday when a delegation of GIABA officials paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the EFCC.
GIABA is the institution of ECOWAS
responsible for facilitating the adoption and implementation of
Anti-Money and Counter-Financing of Terrorism in West Africa.
He said the suspension of the NFIU from
the Egmont Group was based on ‘misinformation’ by those who are hell-
bent on handicapping the EFCC, describing it as a case of ‘corruption
fighting back’.
The EFCC boss said, “Politicians are
behind the NFIU crisis, because they want to destroy the achievements
recorded by the EFCC.”
According to him, the frantic move by
the legislature to take the NFIU out of the EFCC was suspicious, and
borne out of an ulterior motive.
Magu added, “There is a complete
misunderstanding about the workings of the NFIU, and it is surprising
that the new bill by the legislators pushing for removal of the NFIU
from the EFCC was passed in seven days,” he said, adding that it was “a
practice that has never happened in any part of the world”.
He, however, stressed that the EFCC was not at loggerheads with the NFIU.
The EFCC boss said, “I have confidence
in the management of the NFIU and the Special Control Unit against Money
Laundering and the relationship is very cordial and professional,” he
said, stressing that the EFCC was “very much in support of the NFIU’s
autonomy”.
He further noted that the African
continent should consider the establishment of an association of African
Financial Intelligence Units.
In response, the Inter- Governmental
Action against Money Laundering in West Africa pledged support for the
EFCC and the Nigerian Government to ensure the lifting of the suspension
of the NFIU from the Egmont Group in the shortest time possible.
The Director General of GIABA, Adama
Coulibaly, while commending the EFCC for championing the anti-corruption
crusade in Nigeria, said the agency’s achievements were not only for
the country, but for the African continent.
According to him, the EFCC is a key
partner of GIABA, and “if this suspension is not lifted early, it is
going to have a negative impact not only on Nigeria, but the West
African region”.
He added, “We are here to express our support to Nigeria on this noble objective of fighting corruption.”
Coulibaly said Nigeria would host GIABA’s plenary between November 13 and 19, 2017.
Nigeria is the largest contributor to ECOWAS and remains the most powerful country in the region.
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