ARIN-WA Seeks EFCC’s Collaboration On Intelligence Sharing, Asset Recovery

The Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network West Africa, ARIN-WA, has requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to share and exchange intelligence information on asset recovery aimed at securing the African region.

ARIN- WA’s President, Jacinto Fernandez Do Canto, made this request on Friday, when the Inter-Agency Network visited the Corporate Headquarters of the EFCC.

According to Do Canto, Nigeria needs to signal its commitment to the Network through robust asset management and recovery initiatives, for it to take its rightful place among member countries of ARIN-WA.

“Among the member countries of ARIN-WA, sixteen have created agencies of recovery and asset management, while four are yet to, and Nigeria is among them. That does not mean Nigeria does not have, it has EFCC. Therefore, we are here to create awareness and go to other countries to do the same as well.

“We share information with people in our region and other regions. ARIN-WA would request for information from Nigeria and Nigeria equally may request for such information” he said. He further expressed optimism that the EFCC will create and build the essence of its Network and continue to work hand-in-hand with it.”

The Assistant Secretary of ARINWA, Charles Balet also noted that Nigeria needs to centralise its asset recovery and management system.

He further requested for financial support from Nigeria as ARINWA mainly depends on donors.

On the other hand, the acting Chairman of the Commission, Abdulkarim Chukkol, represented by the Secretary to the Commission, Dr. George Ekpungu expressed concerns about the assessment of the Mutual Evaluation Report on Nigeria.

He said the Nigerian government has established a legal framework that works, but because of the size of the country, the effect cannot be seen easily, and that the country is doing everything to strengthen that.

“Apart from our existing body of laws, in May 2022, the National Assembly passed a bill on Proceed of Crime Act, POCA, and mandated all relevant agencies to establish a Department of Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management, and the EFCC is the first to create such department. We also have an account domiciled with the CBN where the recoveries are kept.

“Our region is prone to economic, financial crimes and corruption. Therefore, we shouldn’t allow language to serve as a barrier in helping each other, and ARIN-WA should lead cooperation in fostering that, and it will ease the flow of information sharing”, he said,” he said.

Ekpungu thereafter promise to deliver the request for financial support to the acting Chairman of the Commission, and the Attorney General of the Federation.

He also expressed the Commission’s readiness to train member nations of ARIN-WA on asset recovery and management process at the EFCC Academy.