EFCC
EFCC on a recovery mission of stolen Nigeria goods. Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has urged for the immediate and unconditional return of Nigerian stolen assets held in foreign nations.
Olukoyede made this call on Tuesday, according to a statement posted on the commission’s X handle on Wednesday, at the ongoing 10th session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which is being held at the Georgia World Congress Centre in Atlanta, United States of America.
According to him, the recovery of stolen assets stored in foreign nations has become critical for the growth of the economy and the expansion of development frontiers within and outside Nigeria.
“We need the cooperation of all the countries that are custodians or in charge of warehousing all these things,” Olukoyede stated.
“It has become critical for us to see you as collaborators, as countries that stand with us in the fight against corruption.”
“When it comes to corruption, it has now become a transnational crime.” If you keep those assets, you will face extremely onerous legal challenges in reclaiming them. You are indirectly promoting the perpetrators of the crimes under discussion.
“And when you encourage it in Africa, it tends to affect you as well, because the types of financial crimes we’re discussing have become global in nature.” As a result, your cooperation with us has become critical.”
He also emphasized the importance of the international community supporting Nigeria’s asset recovery efforts, saying, “we will only be able to see you as a friend if you are willing to support us in recovering such assets that have been traced to your jurisdiction.”