The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, has dispelled the notions of interference in the work of the agency, asserting that the Commission works independently.
Lamorde stated this when he received the Director, Sub-Sahara Africa Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Michael Stibbe and the ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, John Groffen in his office.
Lamorde stated that the Commission does it work independently and without any interference citing the prosecution of those allegedly involved in the fuel subsidy scam as example.
“We have enjoyed tremendous political goodwill. We charged the son of Bamanga Tukur, who until recently was the chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to court. We also charged the son of Ahmadu Ali, former chairman of PDP to court and a host of others.
“If you look at the fuel subsidy thing, it involves people of high networth… we try to do our best so that whatever we do, we are able to defend it,” he said.
Lamorde however thanked the Kingdom of the Netherlands for their support to the Commission in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
He solicited for more collaboration between the Netherlands and the Commission in the investigation of fuel subsidy cases as he stated that most of the cases have link to the Netherlands.
When asked by Stibbe about two key areas the Commission would want support from the Netherlands, Lamorde stated that strengthening the existing relationships between the Netherlands and the training of EFCC personnel were key. “We need to strengthen existing cooperation in terms of law enforcement activities. The other issue that is important for us is training,” he said.
Recalling some of the landmark achievements of the Commission, Lamorde told his guests that the Commission recovered and paid over $200 million to a Brazilian Bank, Banco Noreste, $4.48 million to Julianah Ching of Hong Kong, in restitution.
He assured the envoys that the Commission will continue to do its best to rid the society of economic and financial crimes.