2 December 2008
Lagos — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has faulted to a media report (not Daily Champion) suggesting that the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU has been suspended from the Egmont group.
"For the avoidance of doubt, this report is misleading and embedded in falsehood as Nigeria has not been suspended from the Egmont group. What might have been misinterpreted, albeit mischievously, by the reporter is a routine development in Financial Intelligence Units, (FIUs) across the world whenever there is a change of leadership at the FIU.
In the case of Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU), the Unit was not suspended from the membership of Egmont Group. Instead a precautionary step was taken to deny the former Head of the NFIU access to the anti-money laundering site while the new boss of the NFIU completes his documentation with the global body, "a spokesman of EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi said.
He said that the site is a secured one where sensitive information on on-going investigations is made available to the NFIU and as such cannot be left unprotected.
The Egmont Group is a global body whose relationship with member countries is institution based and not built around individuals.
"In the last one year, at least four countries which had faced a similar transition had also experienced the same development. This misleading report further underscores the need for the media to always crosscheck and confirm information especially on technical issues like this before going to press," Babafemi added.
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