UK To Return Ill-Gotten Wealth, High Commissioner Tells EFCC

The United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, Tuesday, revealed the preparedness of her country return stolen wealth to Nigeria.

She further stated the UK’s resolve to strengthen its existing cooperation and partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Laing made the country’s position known during a visit to the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said: “The United Kingdom and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have restated their resolve to further strengthen the existing cooperation and partnership between them in the fight against economic crimes and corruption.

“The UK envoy who expressed her admiration for the young and talented Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said the UK was serious about returning ill-gotten gains and preventing it from happening in the first place.

“She recalled past support of the UK government to the EFCC and the fight against corruption in Nigeria through the Combined Inter Agency Task Force.”

“We remain strong partners and we are here to support you”, she said.

Bawa stressed the need to strengthen the special relationship between the EFCC and the UK government and her agencies.

He said: “We should continue to work together to achieve our mutual interests. We must try to strengthen the special relationship we have maintained especially with the NCA”.

He said the commission was working assiduously to “change the narrative as far as the fight against corruption in Nigeria is concerned.

“The focus is now to prevent corruption rather than being reactive.”

He disclosed that the commission will on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 launch its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, prepared with the support of UK agencies.

He also thanked the envoy for the UK Government’s support in developing the commission’s forensic capacity through training, adding that the EFCC under his leadership has deployed technology to improve its operations.

The EFCC chairman said his agency recently launched an App, Eagle Eye, which simplifies the process of reporting economic and financial crimes.

The High Commissioner and her team were taking through a demonstration of the working of the App and the new Case Management Application of the EFCC.

The envoy expressed her admiration for the App, noting that even the UK does not have such as application.