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More Foreign
Governments Pledge Support for EFCC EFCC
Press Release Tue Dec 13,2011
Ibrahim Lamorde, Ag. Exect. Chairman, EFCC with James
Mcanully, Charge d' Affaires representing the U.S. Ambassador to
Nigeria
and Diane M. Kohn, Anti Crime Program Co-ordinator,
U.S. Embassy, Nigeria on a courtesy visit to the EFCC recently.
There appears to be an upbeat mood now at
Nigeria’s foremost anti graft agency. Following the recent
change in the leadership of Nigeria’s foremost anti-graft
agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
offers of support
have continued to pour in from foreign governments and agencies.
The latest of such offer came from the United States government,
through its deputy head of Mission in Nigeria,Mr. James McAnulty.
Mr. McAnulty, who led a two-man team that included Diane M.
Kohn, Anti-Crime Program Coordinator, Embassy of the United
States of America,
on a courtesy visit to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC , Mr.
Ibrahim Lamorde in his office on Monday December 12, 2011,
expressed delight at the appointment of the former Director of
Operations as the agency’s head.
While congratulating Lamorde on his
appointment, the envoy said his choice is reasuring in view of
his pedigree in the fight against organized crimes, including
corruption and money laundering. He reviewed his country’s
history of assistance and collaboration with the EFCC and pedge
even greater support for the agency under the leadereshp of Mr.
Lamorde.
In his response, the Acting EFCC chairman
commended the US for taking the lead in law enforcement
activities in the world, noting that the EFCC owed its modest
achievements over the past few years to tremendous professional
and technical support it receives from the United States
Governement and its agencies such the Federal Bureau of
Investigations, FBI. “This is a very interesting moment in the
history of EFCC; which is a continuation of the relationship
between the EFCC and the US. If there is any country that
extended support to EFCC when we came on board in 2003 in terms
of capacity building and exposure, it is the United States”, he
stated.
Lamorde pleaded for more support of the
American governemnet in the area of training by increasing the
slot allocated to the Commission’s operatives at the FBI
Academy. Where that is not possible, he suggested that “the
Commission has a state of the art training facilities here in
Abuja-Nigeria; where your people can come over here to train our
staff; that is if going to America for the training will be
costly”.
The visit by the US envoy comes on the
heels of a similar one by the deputy British High Commissioner
to Nigeria, , Mr. Giles Lever. The envoy who was accomapanied on
the visit to the EFCC chairman by Mr. Hooman, Senior Political
Officer at the British High Commission,
offered his governement’s cooperation and support for the
EFCC to enable it surmount current challenges in the anti- graft
efforts in Nigeria.
He congratulated the new EFCC boss on his
recent appointment, noting that his visit underscores the
importance which the British government place on the work of the
Commission.
The EFCC has a history of cooperation with
US and UK law enforcement agencies includinhg the FBI, United
States Postal Inspection Service, US Secret Service; and the
Metropolitan Police and the UK Serious organized Crime Agency.
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
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