The Nigerian
Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the presidential ad-hoc committee set up to
reposition and restore the nation’s membership of the Egmont Group of Financial
Intelligence Unit has called out EFCC over the frustration of its efforts.
The
committee accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of
blackmailing the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice
with allegations of impeding the government’s anti-corruption drive.
In a
statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney
General of the Federation, Salihu Othman Isah, 'there are several other
documents detailing the commitment of the AGF and the Federal Ministry of
Justice to ensure that Nigeria is fully ratified as a bona fide member of the
Egmont Group and other international anti-graft bodies in line with President
Muhammadu Buhari administration’s effort to combat all corruption and other
forms of crimes. However, it is a sad tale to tell how the Acting Chairman,
Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC has frustrated these efforts and even had to resort to
blackmail in some instances oftentimes, alleging that the AGF and the Ministry
were all out to impede the government’s anti-corruption drive'.
“Magu and
other EFCC officials, and a times through online publications, had at one time
or the other accused the Minister of trying to compromise the war. They have
always perceived the Office of AGF as a threat instead of addressing the issues
related to the best strategy to fight corruption advocated by the AGF'.
The
committee was set up by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, following the recent
sanction on Nigeria by the global body for allegedly flouting its rules and
regulations saying, 'the suspension of Nigeria from the Egmont Group of
National Financial Intelligence Units at its July 2017 meeting in China with a
threat of an expulsion in January 2018, if Nigeria did not meet the standards
of the Group with regards to its operations, has dire consequences for Nigeria
on many fronts.”
The
committee is also expected to submit its report by August 31.
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