As part of its efforts aimed at enhancing the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing in West Africa, the Inter Governmental Action against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) for five days last week (Monday, September 23, to Friday, September 27, 2019) exposed officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to latest Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism trends

The advanced training programme which held at the EFCC Academy, Karu, is a product of the Strengthening Anti-Money Laundering Capacities in West Africa (SAMWA) Project, an initiative of GIABA and the European Union.

The course is aimed at encouraging anti-money laundering and proactive financial investigations among investigators, judicial officers and analysts.

The training brought select officers up to speed on the new trends of money laundering, effectiveness of existing strategies against money laundering and terrorism financing and ways of strengthening the fight against the menace.

Participants were drawn from the EFCC, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit {NFIU}, the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), Nigeria Immigration Service, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Delivering the first lecture entitled “Strategic Approach for Combating Criminal Organizations”, the Head, Counterterrorist Financing Unit, NFIU, Ibrahim Ditse, emphasised that the objective of the training was to deepen the participants’ knowledge of the relationship between different forms of organised crime and the strategic model for combating it.

In her paper entitled “National Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment”, the Head, External Corporation, EFCC, Hadiza Gamawa Zubairu, stressed the dangers of money laundering and terrorism financing and urged government and all stakeholders to put in place actions necessary to curb the crime, adding that until organisations used to launder money take necessary actions, the problem of money laundering and terrorism financing will continue to plague Nigeria.

The training which is a product of the partnership among the EFCC, GIABA and EU, featured practical and technical exercises on enhancing the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing in West Africa.

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