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West Africa: U.S Backs Ecowas On Trans-Border Financial Crime
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Vanguard (Lagos)
15 July 2008
Posted to the web 15 July 2008
The United State (US) government has pledged its support to the International Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) an institution under ECOWAS Commission in its move to fight against transboder financial crimes.
Speaking at the opening session of a 7-day regional financial investigative techniques course for investigators sponsored and organized by GIABA and US, the US Ambassador to Nigeria Robin Sanders also stressed that criminals take advantage of countries with weak law enforcement agency and infrastructures to carry out their crime successfully.
According to her, the training will focus on financial investigating techniques that will improve the nation's law enforcement skills to effectively investigate and successfully prosecute financial crime.
"We believe as partners that the importance of any capacity building programme is about building institutions and not heading the institution.
"We are here to help focus on institution building as you effectively try to prosecute challenges to financial crimes and other crimes that exist in your countries especially here in Nigeria.
"You will agree with me that world wide, there is an urgent and growing need to develop effective law enforcement techniques to detect and successfully prosecute economic and financial crimes.
"Time is of essence because criminals are constantly searching for countries with weak laws, infrastructure and ineffective law enforcement. Fortunately you as GIABA member countries are responding to this needs. Increasing law enforcement capacity is key in achieving that goal.
"We will provide you with international accepted and respected best practices that you can use to combat economic crimes including the detection of complex financial crimes such as corruption and money laundering", she said.
The Ambassador however, pledged that the US will provide all the support needed through out the training that will help in fighting financial crime within and outside ECOWAS region.
"The training is designed to sharpen your skills to follow the money and collect evidence that will ultimately result in successful prosecution", she stressed.
In his address, the Director-General of GIABA, Dr. Abdullahi Shehu said that the mandate of GIABA is to develop strategy that will protect member's state against anti-money laundering.
Also in her address, the EFCC, Boss Mrs. Farida Waziri said that EFCC as a strong allies to GIABA,have the responsibility to ensure that GIABA succeeds and remains a vital arm of the international alliance against money laundering and terrorist financing.
According to the EFCC Boss, in the coming months, EFCC would increase its intelligence gathering capabilities, in the pursuit of proactive preventive strategy, adding that it require much planning, strategizing, synergizing and lots of training.
"The challenges of effective investigation and prosecution of financial crimes are quite enormous and sometimes onerous. The inadequacy of laws, procedural and substantive, undue interference, constitutional constrains, slow justice system, high cost, etc.
"But even more important, is the credibility and integrity of the investigators himself. No financial crime can be successful investigated and prosecuted without a good job done by an investigator. And no investigator will do a good job if his integrity is questionable", she stressed.
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She however, advised the participants to sharpen their investigative skills and ensure that they are above board, adding "that is a hallmark of law enforcement which you must uphold".
all these trainings are unnecessary, if nigerians will be honest to themselves. let the freedom of information bill, FOIB, be passed into law, and the public will supply all the information needed by an investigator. the public will do the investigations for u. it is as simple as ABC. i am as usual. G.C.
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