The chairman of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde today reiterated the importance of the support of
the
European Union to the Commission in the fight against economic and
financial
crimes. Lamorde made this assertion while receiving members of the
Africa, Caribbean and Pacific/European Union (ACP-EU) parliament
in his office.
The ACP-EU parliamentarians
who were in Abuja for the 10th ACP-EU
Regional (West Africa) meeting said they were
in the Commission to see for themselves the impact of the EU assistance on its
operation. Lamorde told the visitors that the Commission received about $24.7
million as support from the EU. According to him, the funds enabled the
EFCC to build its ultra modern Data Centre, Forensic Unit, deploy modern
software packages including Go-Case which have enabled the Commission
record significant impact it its enforcement activities in Nigeria. “EFCC would
not have been able to achieve what it has achieved today without the support of
the European Union”, he said.
He listed the
achievement of the Commission to include the recovery of over $9 billion,
secured over 400 convictions as well as getting Nigeria de-listed from the infamous
list of non-cooperative countries by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. He
said apart from being able to investigate and prosecute criminals, the
Commission through the support of the EU also engaged the civil society groups
and faith-based organization to buy in and own the fight against economic and
financial crimes.
However, despite
the achievement recorded so far, Lamorde listed some of the challenges faced by
the Commission to include manpower development and prosecution of criminals.
Numbering over
40 members, the group led by its co-presidents, Honourable Dr. Joyce Laboso,
deputy speaker, Kenya
and Riviasi Hideile, were later taken on tour of the Commission’s Data Centre
and the Forensic Unit which were established with EU assistance.
Wilson
Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media &
Publicity
18th July, 2013
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