Metro

Nigeria: Anti-corruption agency vows to block criminals’ financial flows

Published

4 weeks ago

September 12, 2024

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has vowed to monitor bank transactions to curb financial flows to criminals, including bandits and terrorists.

Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede, who stated this on Wednesday during the 2024 Annual Civil-Military Conference organized by Civil-Military Cooperation at the National Defence College, Abuja, noted that there is a serious connection between corruption and insecurity which must be curbed at all cost.

Olukoyede who was represented by the Director of the Public Affairs Directorate, Wilson Uwujaren, emphasized that corruption fosters poverty, which in turn makes unemployed citizens vulnerable to recruitment into banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.

“Corruption is a key issue when it comes to the promotion of insecurity in this nation. When discussing insecurity and national development, it’s essential to recognise the impact of corruption on national security management and development,” the EFCC boss said.

“It is time for us to collectively fight corruption, which has become a major challenge to our nation’s progress. The loss of resources to corruption deprives our nation of the funds needed to provide infrastructure and digital services for our people, exacerbating the poverty we face.

“Corruption breeds poverty, which in turn leads the jobless to engage in banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism. We will continue to monitor the flow of funds, especially in the banking sector, to ensure that illicit money doesn’t end up in the hands of bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists. This will help reduce the financial incentives for these criminal activities.”

Olukoyede also vowed that the EFCC would intensify efforts to monitor the flow of funds, particularly in banking transactions, to prevent money from reaching bandits and terrorists, adding that these efforts would help reduce the financial incentives driving these criminal activities.

Related Topics:#bandits corruption EFCC Featured Nigeria

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Metro

All the choices we have made are for sustainable, inclusive growth— Tinubu

Published

2 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has reiterated that all the choices his administration has made since assuming office 17 months ago have been made to stop the country’s decline and put it on a path to sustainable and inclusive growth.

Tinubu, who made the assertion at the 54th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said it was encouraging that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product growth for the first and second quarters of 2024 was positive, giving credence to his reforms and policies.

The president, who was represented by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, noted that it was gladdening that inflation was on a downward trend, and the foreign exchange market was stabilising, with encouraging investment signals.

“We are continuing with innovative reform measures: digitisation of revenue collection and government services, consumer credit system to boost manufacturing and enable access to goods and services,” Tinubu said in his address to the audience.

“Our reforms include removing punitive subsidies to the economy. Revenue bleeding has reduced, and the three tiers of government are receiving higher allocations, which enable more support to vulnerable populations.

“Social investment spending is increasing, the minimum wage has increased, student loans are available, and interventions to support NANO, MSME, farming, fishing, and the livestock sector have increased.

“Our collective vision for Nigeria’s future is anchored on strengthening our institutions and nurturing a pervasive culture of accountability,” he said.

He added that his government was committed to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to boost transparency and efficiency and cultivate strategic partnerships to pave the way for sustainable development.

Metro

10 Zambian miners confirmed dead, 20 feared trapped in Mumbwa mine tragedy

Published

20 hours ago

October 8, 2024

Isaac Dachen

At least 10 Zambian miners have been confirmed dead, with 20 others feared missing after the collapse of the Lwiili Mine located in the Mumbwa region.

The devastating accident, which was confirmed by the Member of Parliament representing Nangoma, Collins Nzovu, and the Zambia Police, was said to have occured on Monday.

Search efforts are ongoing to locate the missing miners.

“I regret to confirm a tragic mining accident at Lwiili Mine in Nangoma, where 20 lives are feared lost. As of now, nine bodies have been retrieved, with 10 confirmed dead,” Nzovu stated in a video posted on his official Facebook account.

He also stated that President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango had been informed of the incident and urged residents and the bereaved to remain calm.

The Central Province Police Chief, Charity Chanda, who also confirmed the incident in a statement, said five miners were also injured.

“An unknown number of people were conducting mining activities when the earth collapsed on them,” Chanda said.

He added that rescue teams recovered six injured miners, but one later died at Nangoma Mission Hospital.

The police chief also said bodies of the deceased have been taken to Mumbwa General Hospital Mortuary, while the injured are receiving treatment at Nangoma Mission Hospital.