UNODC Seeks Stronger Strategic Partnership with EFCC
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, has sought a more robust working relationship with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
This quest was made in Abuja on Thursday, January 23, 2025 when its Country Representative, Cheikh Ousmane Toure led a staff delegation on a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
Toure, who said that he was eager for knowledge sharing among West African States explained that “this is the only way we can bring a little bit of more safety and security to our children.
The menaces are many and complex and today we have AI. Imagine AI in the hand of a cybercrime criminal doing movements on bitcoins?
What will be our line of defence in investigating such cases? It will be more complex than those cases that you cracked in the past. It will require new sets of legal understanding to criminalize those cases.
According to him, “”The second element is on international cooperation with countries where there is a lot of investment from Nigerians and where you have difficulties to seize some of the ill-gotten assets.””
“”I don’t want my tenure to be some sort of UN framework tenure. No. I am a technician. I’m the child of West Africa. I want an effective partnership. “”
So, basically what I am here to engage on is that if we work with you, I want that to be a partnership. There is a lot of expertise in Nigeria. Those expertise can help us achieve our goals. So it is only fair to go for strategic partnership.”
In his response, Olukoyede noted that achieving the goals Toure enumerated came down to UNODC working together in partnership with the EFCC and strengthening the partnership.
“All that you have said boils down to the need for us to strengthen our relationship and to work together.
“”As a matter of fact, we have a very good working relationship as a country and also as a Commission with UNODC. We have had decades of relationship with UNODC and it has been of mutual benefit and interest. Most of the things in our mandate have almost become global in nature.””
“”We are looking at money laundering, financing of terrorism, proliferation of small arms and all of that. There is a very strong relationship between our mandate and yours. Where you see some of these crimes happening, there is an element of money laundering and in all financial crimes generally”, he said.
The EFCC’s boss further stressed that, “we need to establish a very strong collaboration with other law enforcement, security agencies and also our partners on the international scene. We will continue to build on the existing relationship.
There is a need for us to collaborate more particularly on the relationship that we have with the United Nations in the area of asset recovery.
We also want to pledge our support for your tenure. All the areas where you need to get our cooperation and our synergy, we are going to make them available to you.”
EFCC
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused the six Area Council Chairmen of lacking basic human conscience over their refusal to pay primary school teachers and other council workers their rightful wages.
Wike stated this while responding to questions from journalists at the site of project inspection on what he was doing to end the ongoing LEA industrial action in Abuja.
The question follows the earlier protests staged at the front gate of FCTA Secretariat by the joint Area Council workers and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over non- payment of new minimum wage and arrears.
Wike condemned the Chairmen for ignoring the plight of striking workers, particularly teachers, who have downed tools in protest of the prolonged non-payment of the minimum wage.
The minister who expressed shock that the chairmen still failed to pay their workers even after his fund approval as an intervention to settle the workers, assured that he has however summoned them for a meeting to chat a new course forward.
“I don’t know why people don’t have conscience that these are teachers who take care of our children, and you are happy that you are not paying them their salaries.
“It’s unfortunate, but we have to tell ourselves the simple truth. The Area Council Chairmen, after I have approved money to be sent to them, for them to be able to pay the teacher. They were unable to do that. In fact, I got the report yesterday(wednesday) and I have summon all of them.
“You see, that’s the problem we have in this country. By the time you apply the big stick now, people will be saying all kinds of things.” Wike noted.
Wike emphasized that the FCT Administration does not directly oversee the councils, hence the need for the Chairmen to fully take responsibility for the welfare of primary school teachers and other council workers.
“These are primary school teachers, not secondary school teachers. You know the responsibility of the councils, they are in charge of the primary schools.So, I will summon them to a meeting”.
The minister appealed to the aggrieved workers and the NUT to be patience as he works to bring the FCT Area Chairmen to the table.
Earlier, Wike had inspected key ongoing projects including the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), the Interchange at the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), and the Life Camp Junction-N5-Ring Road 3 Expressway and expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being done by the contractors.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed dissatisfaction over the unauthorized subletting of part of the International Conference Centre (ICC) furniture project contract.
Wike expressed the displeasure during an inspection tour of the ongoing rehabilitation of ICC and the N16 road in Gishiri, Abuja.
The contract, originally awarded to Julius Berger, reportedly had its furniture component reassigned to another firm by the Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) without the minister’s approval.
Dr Wike who described the development as unacceptable, immediately summoned the contractor and top FCTA officials for further investigation, to guard against compromising quality .
“The job was given to Julius Berger entirely. I cannot have different qualities. We cannot say that the floor up is furnished by Julius Berger and down is furnished by another company. It is not acceptable to me.
“I have invited Julius Berger, I have invited the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the MD of the Abuja Investments Company Limited to know who did that, and if anybody is found culpable, of course, I must have to apply the big stick.
Dr Wike,commended the quality of the overall work, and expressed confidence that the contractors would meet their deadlines before the end of May.
“I believe, by the grace of God, they are meeting up for the second anniversary of Mr President. Quality job done. I am sure those who live within this neighborhood are happy with what they are seeing now.
“I am not doubting the quality of work there. What I have said is that the quality of work generally is very fine. How they removed the furnishing of the conference hall from Julius Berger is what I do not know.
“And so, that is why I summoned the Acting ES, FCDA, and the GMD of Abuja Investments Company Limited and Julius Berger, to come and tell us who did that, and also on whose approval, because I approve and I know the amount of money, Nobody will be a sacred cow”.Wike added.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on Muslims across Nigeria to use the Ramadan fasting period as a time for fervent prayers for the nation’s peace and unity.
He also encouraged them to embrace the teachings of Islamic scholars during this sacred period.
In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike emphasized the importance of prayer, particularly among Muslims in the FCT, for the well-being of the country.
“Fasting, as one of the five pillars of Islam, should not only be about abstaining from food and drink but also a time for deep reflection and intense prayers for the nation,” he said.
He urged Muslims to open their hearts and minds to the Tafsir (interpretation) of the Holy Month of Ramadan, allowing themselves to be guided by its teachings.
The Minister congratulated the Muslim faithful on witnessing the beginning of the 30-day fast and prayed for their strength to complete the sacred period.
“I wish all Muslim faithful a Ramadan filled with joy, unity, and spiritual fulfillment. May your ibadah be accepted by Allah (SWT), and may this holy month bring peace, prosperity, and abundant blessings to us all. Ramadan Mubarak,” Wike added.
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