…Fraud Risk Assessment Project to commence from Villa , National Assembly
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede said corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the society to the extend that a religious organisation in Nigeria was caught by the agency laundering money for terrorists.
Another religious body was also found protecting a money launderer after some money suspected to have been laundered was traced to the organisation’s bank account.
The allegations rattled Religious leaders and the Sultan of Sokoto,His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar promptly said in his remark that EFCC chairman will be invited to interfaith council meeting to drum home the massage on members.
Olukoyede who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the launching of the anti- graft agency ” Fraud Risk Assesment Project” by Vice President, Kashim Shettima stated that the EFCC was investigating a N13bn fraud case when it discovered that N7bn of the N13bn was linked to a religious body’s bank account.
He maintained that religious organisations, institutions, sects, and bodies have been found culpable of money laundering, and added that the religious sect involved whose account was linked to fund quickly rushed to the court in defiance and obtained a restraining order to prevent the EFCC from probing its leaders.
According to him, “We were able to trace some laundered money to a religious organisation, and when we approached the religious organisation about it and we were carrying out our investigation, we got a restraining court order stopping us from carrying out our investigation.”
The chairman said the commission would not be deterred by the restraining order “as we have appealed against it to pave way for recovery of the fund.”
He said that the Fraud Risk Assessment Project would enable the commission prevent corruption and gradually eradicate it in the ministries, departments and agencies of government.
The commission, he added, would establish a threshold upon which the Fraud Risk Assessment Project will be activated and “once any one goes beyond it we start investigation.”
EFCC boss said that the agency projection is that the Fraud Risk Assessment Project will first beam it’s search light on the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Ministry of Works and the Judiciary. “We want to see what they are doing with our money”, he added.
In his address shortly before he launched the Project, Vice President Kashmir Shettima allayed fears expressed by Oni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi that EFCC boss was on his own if he want to investigate those who appointed him .He assured the public that EFCC chairman need no prayer to do his job.
Shettima urged the youths to refrain from cybercrime and embark on lawful enterprises , and “let your talents shine.” He enjoined the youths to make good use of Federal government N66bn intervention fund.
The Vice President also urged the religious leaders to be the pillar of guidance in the current effort to rescue the country from corruption.
In his goodwill massage, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Federation Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the project is to deter corruption by adopting co-ordinated preventive measures.
He said that since prevention is better than cure , he believe that concerted efforts should be channeled towards preventive aspect of the commission’s mandate as it is cheaper and easier to prevent crimes.
The Commission’s mandate goes beyond investigation and prosecution of financial crimes which it had over the years pursued vigorously. The cost of investigating and prosecuting all species of financial crimes will significantly reduce with adequate preventive measures in place, he added.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence,Sa’ad Abubakar and President of Christian Association of Nigeria ,CAN, Archbishop. Daniel Okoh and the Chairman Committee of Vice -Chancellors Prof . Lilian Salami all pledged support for the project .