Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says bankers in the country now have up to the 1st of June, 2021 to declare their assets in line with the provisions of the law.
Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa made the disclosure in an interview with State House Correspondents, after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the focus on bankers is part of the Commission’s renewed poise to clampdown on financial crimes in all sectors of the economy.
According to him: “We understood that the tail end of every financial crime is for the criminal to have access to the funds that he or she has illegitimately gotten.
“We’re worried about the roles of financial institutions. We have discussed, but we hope that all staff of financial institutions, particularly the bankers, will declare their assets as provided for by the law, in accordance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Asset Act.
“The EFCC, come the 1st of June 2021, will be demanding these asset declaration forms, filled by the bankers so that the line that we have drawn from the first of June is really complied with by all bankers.”
Bawa said this move will enhance financial sanity and make it easy to track illegally acquired funds.
Reviewed Mandate
The EFCC Chairman said the Commission under his watch, had reviewed its mandate and that President Buhari had shown satisfaction with the agency’s proposal.
“We reviewed a lot of things that we want to do towards the eradication of financial crimes. As you are aware, I was here about two weeks ago before taking over.
“He (President Buhari) is happy with what he has heard so far with the reforms we are working on with the new EFCC going forward, in terms of the way we investigate, prosecute and the way we are generally executing our mandate.
“My assurance to Nigerians, going forward, is that we are going to do our best to ensure that this country is free of financial crimes,” he added.
Cybercrime
He also said more attention would be devoted to cybercrime “Which has become a big problem to this country.”
Expressing worries over the escalation of cybercrime, especially among young Nigerians, Bawa appealed to those currently engaging in it to desist, noting that it is giving Nigeria the wrong image.
Bawa said around 300 suspected cyber criminals were arrested in the last one month in different parts of the country.
“As a young man, I am appealing to all young Nigerians to desist from these cybercrime activities. It is giving a bad name to our country, it is also chasing away a lot of foreign investments that we need and I call on all parents, guardians, and, of course, elders in the community, in the society, to be able to talk to these young people to desist from these crimes.
“These are crimes that they commit online. And of course, there is nothing like patting your back to say go and sin no more. Our laws do not provide for that. It is a crime and as we say in the EFCC, we will get you anywhere, anytime,” he said.
PIAK
