AUTHORITY of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday trained journalists in Kwara State on how to perform optimally without fear or favour.
Participants were urged to be faithful to the calling of the profession by stepping up efforts and commitment to investigative journalism.
Speaking at a one-day media training and workshop on ‘Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes’ organized by the anti-graft agency for print, electronics and online reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital; Abdulkarim Chukkol, acting Chairman of the EFCC challenged journalists on patriotism and uprightness.
Chukkol said: “As journalists, we owe our nation and the entire world an obligation of exposing every shadiness and criminal acts through our reporting.
“Journalism is the best gateway to whistle blowing and I charge the media to deploy more time, energy and commitment in exposing all fraudulent activities in our midst.”
The acting Chairman, represented at the training by Michaels Nzekwe, the zonal head of the agency in Kwara said illegal mining activities is the major threat to economic growth in Kwara State.
He noted that activities of illegal solid mineral operators posed grave threat to the local and national economy, through non-payment of royalties, taxes and other dues.
“The commission has been active in tackling their criminalities and will continue to ensure that extant laws against illegal miners are enforced,” he added.
The EFCC boss, posits that Nigerians should not wait until they suffer any loss on economic and financial crimes before they move against criminality; declared that, “economic and financial crimes remain a threat to our individual and corporate progress.
“It is not only by being a victim of these crimes that we suffer losses. We also suffer limitations when our neighbours, colleagues, institutions and nation fall prey to them”.
Alex Ogbole Ocheme also of the EFCC, who presented a paper titled, “New Trends In Cybercrime: How Not To Become A Victim” disclosed that cybercrime had eaten over $8 trillion of victims’ hard earned finances in the world.
He identified legal bottleneck as one of the factors hindering cross border corruption investigation in the anti-corruption war.
According to him, not all African countries, had passed the law on cybercrime, stressing that since one cannot compel those countries to try corruption offenders with such law, it means the money stolen is gone.
He further stated that “each nation is entitled to its laws. They are not necessarily there to work with you. Some countries are fast to assist you in the war against cybercrime while some are not. For instance, if the UAE is not ready to collaborate with you on a cybercrime investigation, it means the money lost is gone.”
