EFCC and FBI strengthen partnership

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday, brokered a new strategic alliance to tackle the threat of internet and other crimes.

This development came when Christopher Wray, Director of the FBI led a team of top officials of the Bureau on a visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoede at the Commission’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

In his remarks at the meeting, Wray expressed delight at the ties that have existed over the years between the EFCC and the FBI and called for enhancing those ties in the face of the common criminal threats facing Nigeria and the US.

“We have had a relationship for many years and this is a reflection of how strong we hope to take our partnership to the next level in addressing threats affecting the people of Nigeria and the United States,” he said.

Responding, Olukoyede expressed his appreciation to the FBI for being a benefactor to EFCC personnel and institutions over the years and expressed optimism that collaboration between the two agencies would be enhanced.

“We would also like to thank you for the technical support you have provided over the years to the EFCC and Nigeria,” he said.

While calling for increased collaboration and strategic partnerships, Olukoyede noted that this is a matter of mutual interest between Nigeria and the US, especially as crime has become inevitable.

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“Some of the crimes we fight are crimes without borders, so it is vital that law enforcement agencies around the world unite and collaborate. Law enforcement agencies must collaborate more. “Our activities must be limitless so that we are able to challenge the activities of evil parties,” he said.

Speaking further, he said, “one of our major problems in Nigeria is public corruption. After I took office, I shared my three main policy directives with the nation. I promise to use the means of the anti-corruption fight to stimulate the economy, in other words to ensure that businesses registered in Nigeria comply with regulations. And we have shown in some of our activities that we are observing many government agencies regarding how they carry out their activities especially in the areas of contracts and procurement”

“We also promised the country that we will follow the rule of law. I believe in results, but I also believe that how you achieve your results is important. I promise this nation that we will get it right.

“Third is to use the activities of the EFCC to improve Nigeria’s international image and that is why we are vigorously addressing the issue of cyber criminals because some of their activities have damaged Nigeria’s image in the global world”, he said. .

Olukoyede noted that achieving a paradigm shift requires dynamism and new mechanisms in the toolkit of the anti-corruption struggle.

He expressed optimism that contract and procurement fraud will soon be a thing of the past as “we will ensure electronic procurement (e-procurement) across the country so that it will be easy for us to track project implementation. That is one of the main innovations that we are bringing to our activities and we will absolutely follow through on it.”

Other officials in the FBI delegation included: Charles Smith Jr, Sydney Schaur, Joshua James Moldt, William Michael Miller, Vanessa M. Tibbits, William B. Stevens, Leigha Ramson, Sofie Admire Sosenzweig and Dr. Jim Oscar.

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