Press Release
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President HALCIA, Niger Republic, Issoufou Boureima
(left) and Ibrahim Lamorde, Chairman, EFCC/Pic: EFCC Media Unit
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The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has expressed his readiness to upgrade the
facilities at the Commission’s Academy to make it a training centre for
investigators of anti-graft agencies in the West Africa sub-region in
furtherance of efforts to effectively curb economic and financial crimes in the
region.
Lamorde gave the assurance on Monday, March
9, 2015, when he played host to Mr. Issoufou Boureima, President, High Authority
for the Fight Against Corruption and Similar Crimes, HALCIA, Republic of Niger
who was at the Commission in furtherance of the
Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by both agencies in 2012.
The visit was to strengthen the existing ties
between the two agencies in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
The EFCC boss, in response to a request by
HALCIA President, said the Commission had planned a regional training programme
that would have taken place mid 2014, but was shelved following the outbreak of
the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in a few countries in the region.
“We assure you that we are already
making efforts towards offering such training; so, we will accept the
request. At the moment, we are
planning to upgrade the facilities at the Academy in realisation of this plan.
In particular, we are interested in ensuring that there are no language issues.
We have an interpreter already and are even in the process of acquiring
translation equipment. So, the issue of training by the EFCC for the region is
certain”, Lamorde assured.
Apart from the proposed regional training,
Lamorde stated that the EFCC would not hesitate to provide assistance in any
area of need as might be requested of the Commission. “Apart from the proposed regional training,
don’t hesitate to call on us if you have any specific need,” he said.
“We should share intelligence and information
about money laundering and terrorism financing”, Lamorde added.
According to him, “ Of all the MoUs signed
with other anti-graft agencies, only the one with HALCIA has been most
effective. It is also important
for us to review past achievements, while also setting new targets for each
other. Both Nigeria and Niger share a lot of things in common,
particularly the cultures and tradition of people in Northern Nigeria .”
Lamorde, who also described the visit as a
new landmark, said the MoU signed by both agencies resulted in the successes so
far recorded by both Nigeria and Niger in the war against corruption.
He urged the leadership of HALCIA to work
hand-in-hand with the EFCC in view of the current challenges such as the Boko
Haram insurgency which, according to him, had become a threat to both
countries.
Earlier in his remark, Boureima described the
efforts of EFCC in the fight against graft as commendable, adding that “we
would like to thank you for your support since the signing of the MoU. In fact, all the cases you have
intervened in have been successfully concluded and the offenders given
different jail terms.”
Boureima was accompanied on the visit by
Sidibe Abdoulkari, Abarchi Fati and Alio Daouda, all commissioners of HALCIA.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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