The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are fostering strategic alliance to enhance the execution of their respective mandates.
This was the tone of discussion between leaders of the two agencies when the new Oyo State commander of the NDLEA, Josephine Ruth Obi, visited to the Ibadan zonal head of the EFCC, Friday Ebelo, at the commission’s Ibadan office on Monday.
Explaining how the NDLEA was preparing its staff for the partnership, Obi said that the agency was raising an elite team of officers for training on money laundering.
“I tell my officers to always look out for evidence of money laundering. They shouldn’t just be after the drugs. The agency itself is now emphasising on money laundering.
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“Our men are receiving training on money laundering. Some of them have gone on training on financial investigation. We have a lot to do together,” she said.
The NDLEA boss also pledged her agency’s support for the EFCC and also called for same from the anti-graft commission, saying the two agencies were mutually engaged in the business of securing Nigeria against fraud and other criminal acts.
Ebelo on his part noted that the two agencies have more areas of convergence in their respective statutory mandates. This, according to him, was heavier on areas of terrorism financing and money laundering.
He identified drug peddling as the main source of terrorism financing, which, according to him, was among the core areas of focus for the EFCC.
Ebelo called for more synergy between the two agencies to effectively tackle drug-related crimes.
“We need to work together to ensure a well secured Nigeria because without Nigeria, there will neither be EFCC nor NDLEA. We just have to come together and work in synergy to see how we can reduce drug abuse and other forms of criminality to the barest minimum,” he said.
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