Press Release
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has charged the media
to improve the current narrative on the Commission by paying attention to all
cases being investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC.
Lamorde who spoke at the opening of a one
day workshop on Effective Reporting of Financial Crimes for journalists drawn
from the five south eastern states at Golden Villa Hotels and suites, Enugu on
Monday, November 10, 2014, described as erroneous, the perception by a section
of the media that the Commission was maintaining a low profile.
He implored the media not to be
selective in their choice of cases to report. “The current situation where
media interest in corruption cases fizzles after arraignment is unhealthy. You
must be prepared to track the trial of corruption cases as that will not only
help in putting such matters in public consciousness, it will also be a
disincentive for compromise by errant judicial officers.
“As I speak, the Commission is
investigating a case of fraud in an old generation bank in Port Harcourt, where
a customer, working with his wife who is a banker with a new generation bank,
defrauded the bank of N855million. The suspect, one Uchenna Ogbonnaya Dike cashed in on system glitches to
perpetrate the scam over a period of five months, by transferring funds from
the bank into accounts in the new generation bank. Other accomplices in the
scam are currently on the run. But the Commission will get them as we are
determined to check all incidences of fraud in the banking sector”, he said.
The EFCC boss, who was represented by Mr. Osita
Nwajah, Deputy Director, Public Affairs further disclosed that the Commission
had recovered over N5billion in the oil subsidy fraud case and property worth a
billion naira in the pension fraud matter.
He commended the media for their support over the past
11 years and urged them not to relent but to be aggressive whistle blowers
in the delicate assignment of ridding our nation of the corruption
malaise.
Dotun Adekanmbi, former deputy director,
Communication, Industrial and General Insurance Company Limited and lead
strategist, Media Logistix, who presented a paper on the place of social media
in financial crimes reporting, charged journalists to explore the new
opportunities for information gathering and confirmation provided by the new
media. According to him, the improvement in telecommunications makes the
social media the new frontier for communication, stressing that only those who
want to be left behind would afford to ignore the sector.
He however sensitized participants to the perils of
the social media, harping on the dangers of over exposure and the need for
constant checking of information received through the available platforms.
Egbuchulam
Nwaja, former news editor, Ebonyi State Newspaper Corporation, in his paper
entitled, Investigative Journalism and Financial Crimes Reporting, examined
the reformative potentials of investigative reporting. “Investigative reporting
reveals scandals and shames corrupt individuals. It uncovers secrets somebody
wants to keep hidden. It is simply good reporting that comes out of the
traditional view of journalists as “watch dogs” whose mission is to sniff out
wrongs, point fingers at those to blame, and report in a way that brings about
positive change.”
While noting that economic constraints and interest of owners were a
major encumbrance to investigative reporting in Nigeria, Nwaja nevertheless
advised practicing journalists to embrace the craft. “The media should turn
their investigative search lights on corruption in the private sector, just as
they are doing to the public sector,” he said.
He also advocated protection for investigative
journalists.
Blessing Olaifa, assistant editor, The Nation Newspapers, in his
presentation stressed the need for media practitioners to be mindful of the
ethics of the profession in the discharge of their responsibilities.
According to him, the media is not just the fourth estate of the realm,
“It is the realm upon which all estates are held accountable. Therefore, it
must be above board”.
Olaifa reminded participants of the need to take
“advantage of some of the institutional mechanisms and legal instruments
available for use to fight economic crimes.”
Most of the workshop participants commended the quality of the
presentations, while calling on the Commission to make the programme a regular
feature in its media calendar.
Over 50 journalists from the five states of the South East zone attended
the workshop.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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