The head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, urged bank Compliance Officers to avoid sharing EFCC investigation activities and requests with customers.
In a statement from Dele Oyewale, Olukoyede expressed concern about the support fraudsters receive from the Nigerian banking sector.
Oyewale emphasized the significant challenges and concerns this poses for the commission.
During a meeting with Compliance Officers of Banks in Oyo State, the Acting Zonal Director of the Ibadan Zonal Command, Hauwa Garba Ringim, conveyed the call from the EFCC chairman.
He noted that compliance officers often share information with clients about EFCC’s investigation letters to banks, which hinders financial crime investigations and delays corruption cases.
Olukoyede stated, “This behavior disrupts financial crime investigations and causes delays in filing corruption cases in court.”
Olukoyede also urged them to consistently respond to EFCC letters with certified true copies of transaction instruments, as this will expedite the investigation processes.
The EFCC boss emphasized the need to halt illegal naira transactions with Point-of-Sale operators.
He added, “Recently, we have observed that Nigerians can only withdraw small amounts from ATMs, while POS operators carry large sums from banks. This unfair practice must be confronted.”
He, however, assured the compliance officers of the commission’s continuous support, as they are essential stakeholders in combating economic and financial crimes.
