BORNO – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has trained over 30 journalists in Borno State on financial crimes reporting and the Money Laundering Act 2022 in its efforts to effectively fight corruption and financial offenses.
Speaking at the one-day workshop held at the EFCC, Office, Maiduguri, on Thursday, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa said the body cannot win the war against corruption without the media, hence the need for the workshop on effective reporting of economic and financial crimes for journalists.
Bawa, who was represented by the Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Northeast, Maiduguri office Mr. Johnson Oshodi said “The Workshop on Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes for journalists is one of the modest efforts of the EFCC to build synergy and strengthen media to understand and be appreciative of the work of the commission.
“The media’s potential to inform and educate the people is crucial for us. We believe that on our own we cannot win the war against corruption without a buy-in by the people. This is why the support of the media is invaluable. We need the media to help sensitize the people on the ills of corruption and economic crimes,” he said.
According to him, the decision of the Commission to sponsor the workshop underscores the importance it attaches to the role of the media in the fight against corruption and economic crimes and called on the journalists to collaborate with the Commission in the fight against graft and other financial crimes.
The EFCC boss said, “I consider this meeting a privilege to connect with the men and women who have been assisting the fight against corruption in this region using your various platforms as a channel for informing and educating the people about the work of the commission”.
Bawa noted that the event was a continuation of a series that began a few years ago in some zonal commands and the headquarters, stressing that the scope has been expanded to accommodate more journalists in the zonal commands of the commission.
“The papers that will be presented today (Thursday) have been carefully selected to draw attention to areas of concern in the fight against corruption, especially money laundering and terrorism financing. I believe we are all aware of the new mechanism for the fight against money laundering in our country. The Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 are new legislations designed to prevent and tackle illicit financial flows and money laundering.
“Nigerians need to be more informed about these important legislations. Part of our objective today is to acquaint you with the important provisions of these laws and how they can be applied to check money laundering activities and the financing of terrorism. In terms of the financing of terrorism,” he added.
He said, the Northeast, a region that has borne the brunt of terrorist activities in Nigeria which has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and left public infrastructure in ruins there needs to ask who are the financiers of the various terrorist groups, stressing that journalists, should not only ask questions but be prepared to use investigative tools to find answers to the questions raised.
He further said the insurgency which has led to the proliferation of non-governmental organizations, (NGOs), doing charity work in the region, though commendable but unfortunately, the activities of a few charlatans have called the altruistic commitment of others to question.
Earlier, in his remarks, the Borno State NUJ chairman, Comrade Dauda Iliya appreciated the commission for the training, saying that the training has availed journalists in the state the opportunity to know more about the activities of the commission and assured of the partnership of the media in the state in the fight against corruption and money laundering.
