By Nkechi Eze
Heads of law enforcement agencies in Niger State as well as the state’s judiciary have declared their willingness to share intelligence with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and give it every other support in its efforts to eliminate corruption, economic and financial crimes in the country.
Dele Oyewale the commission’s spokesperson in an official signed statement disclosed that the declaration came when the Acting Director of the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo paid a familiarization visit to the state’s Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman; NigerState Director of the Directorate of State Services, DSS, Usman Bello Ibrahim, fsi; Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Kumar Tsukwan, Niger State Commandant of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Adamu Abdullahi Kambra,fcai,fiifs, and Niger State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Shehu.N.Gwadabawa, few days ago.
While identifying illegal mining of solid minerals as a severest economic crime taking place in the state, the heads of the law enforcement agencies noted that intelligence sharing was key in assisting the EFCC in tackling the scourge.
The Niger State Commissioner of Police, CP Elleman, while declaring his cooperation and full support for the anti-corruption fight of the EFCC, said that assisting the Commission achieve its mandate “is and will remain a top priority for the Nigeria Police.”
In the same vein, the Commander, Niger State Joint Non-Conventional Security Groups, Kabiru Umaru Kudu and the state coordinator, Coalition of Nigerian Youth on Security and Safety Affairs (CONYSSA) Youth Empowerment Initiatives, Dalhatu Abubakar Iya as well as the chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Niger state chapter, Abu Nmodu, praised the EFCC for its dedication and professionalism in the anti-corruption fight and pledged the full support of their organisations to the Commission.
“The EFCC is a strategic partner in progress for our organization and as such we are ready to stand and work with the Commission especially in the area of illegal mining and cybercrime which has become a troubling thorn for Niger State. We are tired of seeing our resources which are meant to better the lives of the people being mined illegally and taken to other countries. Seeing EFCC here with us has given us more zeal and encouragement to stand up and commit towards the fight against economic and financial crimes,” Kudu said.
Kaltungo acknowledged the critical roles CONYSSA, and the NUJ are playing in ensuring that economic and financial crime are tackled in the state and assured them of the EFCC’s maximum support and collaboration in their efforts. He noted that“engagements such as this is key to an effective fight against corruption. We enjoin you to also take up the fight against corruption because EFCC cannot do it alone.”
While urging all stakeholders in the state to join hands to the rid the youth in the state of inclination to internet crimes, Kaltungo noted that “Yahoo boys are not relenting in their nefarious activities and Niger State is fast becoming their safe haven, so there is a need to flush them out fast.”
In a related development, Kaltungo has reiterated his commitment to the fight against economic and financial crimes and commended the Niger State judiciary for its critical roles in the fight. He stressed that the judiciary was instrumental to the Commission’s successes, adding that the support of the judiciary was highly needed for the continued success of the Commission.
He stated this further in his familiarization tour to the Chief Judge of Niger State, Hon. Justice Halima Abdulmalik, the Presiding Judge of the Federal High Court, Minna Judicial Division, Hon. Justice A.M Dan-ige and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Niger State, Barrister Nasiru Mua’zu Esq, respectively.
“We are here to thank you for all your support and also solicit for more synergy and collaborations,” he said.
The justices expressed delight at the resilience and successes of the EFCC in the anti-corruption fight and assured that the judiciary in the state was poised to support the Commission in its efforts at eradicating corruption, economic and financial crimes in the country.
