CLEEN Foundation, tasks the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to remain steadfast to its vision and mandate to the people of Nigeria. The Executive Director, Benson Olugbuo, PhD at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on “Speaking for Anti-graft Agencies with the EFCC” supported by the Bureau of International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at Dennis Hotel on July 11, 2018 made this demand.
CLEEN working in this project seeks to achieve optimum capacity for law enforcement and anti-graft agencies in Nigeria to be more effective in their relations with the public; and to strengthen relations among criminal justice actors, anti-graft agencies and the citizens through improved and effective communications for transparency and accountability.
CLEEN at the event advised institutions particularly the EFCC to respect human rights in its anti-corruption war. At the training, Abubakar Muaza, a professor in the department of mass communication at the University of Maiduguri trained the agencies on public relations. And, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, former PRO, Police force headquarters and the current Provost Nigeria Police Public Relation School trained the anti-corruption agencies on effective public relations.
The Acting Chairman EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, represented by Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC Spokesperson, said in all the Commission’s operations, it pays adequate attention to rules guiding respect for human rights.
“Before making an arrest, the Commission carries out extensive and thorough investigation led by diligent investigating officers and in some cases, there can be joint collaboration with other agencies”, he added.
The Commission has an effective unit, the Department of Internal Affairs, DIA, that handles cases of corruption within the agency” adding that “if any staff of the Commission is found to be involved in corrupt acts or any form of misconduct, appropriate disciplinary action.
The meeting had participants from the EFCC, Media, Macarthur Foundation, Legal Practitioners, Transparency International and the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption, TUGAR, and Civil Society Organizations.