APCON, NBC, EFCC team up to combat economic crimes in media, advertising industry

Balarabe Ilelah, the Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and Olalekan Fadolapo, the Registrar/Chief Executive of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), recently paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja to strategise on ways to combat financial and economic crimes in the media industry.

The DG of NBC and the Registrar of APCON solicited the support of EFCC in sanitizing the media/advertising industry and eliminating the iniquitous activities of some operators in the sector which have been crippling the development and growth of the industry.

In a statement, the DG of NBC stated that the fraudulent activities of some stakeholders and huge advertising debt have generated concerns as these have created operational challenges for the industry. “Most media houses are crippled operationally as obtaining credit under false pretence and other fraudulent activities of some stakeholders are endangering the growth of the industry”

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The APCON Registrar noted that the intervention of the EFCC is strategic to the success of the ongoing industry reforms. He further noted that such intervention will eradicate financial corruption and unethical practices in the industry.

The Registrar seeks the partnership of EFCC to provide financial security for the advertising industry against all forms of financial crimes as these inhibit the growth of the advertising industry.

The Chairman of EFCC in the statement reiterated the Commission’s zero tolerance for corruption and financial crimes in the country. He pledged the commitment of EFCC in supporting the advertising industry and indicated that two Desk Offices will be created in Abuja and Lagos by the Commission for the industry intervention.

He enjoined the two agencies (NBC and APCON) to come up with a detailed proposal on the intervention of EFCC including framework and scope of intervention.