The Egmont group, which is a global network of 152 Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) had earlier suspended Nigeria in July 2017 following the consensus by the members of the group at the 24th plenary of the group in Macao, SAR.
If expelled, Nigeria will suffer a blacklist in the global finance sector and Nigerian Banks will be unable to issue Mastercard and Visa credit/debit cards while card transactions with Nigerian originated cards will be blocked meaning Nigerians cannot do foreign transactions. This is one of many other costs of the i
This is one of the many other consequences of this looming decision. In the first place, the decision to suspend Nigeria’s FIU largely due to the fact that it has operated under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with high level of interference and meddling by the Ibrahim Magu led anti-corruption agency. Magu by court orders is an illegal appointee who has continued to receive the backing of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The NFIU in this position flagrantly violates Recommendation 29 of the FATF standards that stipulates that the FIU must remain independent and devoid of any form of interference.
In Macao, the Egmont group specifically pointed out that the Magu led EFCC had continued to leak sensitive information to the media and the agency has continued to blackmail individuals using highly confidential financial intelligence available to it. The FIU in its statement announcing the consensus decision to suspend NFIU membership status said
If expelled, Nigeria will suffer a blacklist in the global finance sector and Nigerian Banks will be unable to issue Mastercard and Visa credit/debit cards while card transactions with Nigerian originated cards will be blocked meaning Nigerians cannot do foreign transactions. This is one of many other costs of the i
This is one of the many other consequences of this looming decision. In the first place, the decision to suspend Nigeria’s FIU largely due to the fact that it has operated under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with high level of interference and meddling by the Ibrahim Magu led anti-corruption agency. Magu by court orders is an illegal appointee who has continued to receive the backing of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The NFIU in this position flagrantly violates Recommendation 29 of the FATF standards that stipulates that the FIU must remain independent and devoid of any form of interference.
In Macao, the Egmont group specifically pointed out that the Magu led EFCC had continued to leak sensitive information to the media and the agency has continued to blackmail individuals using highly confidential financial intelligence available to it. The FIU in its statement announcing the consensus decision to suspend NFIU membership status said
In reaction to this decision by the Egmont group, Vice President Osinbajo constituted an ad-hoc committee to reposition the NFIU and restore Nigeria’s membership of the Egmont Group. This was contained in a 31st of July memo (SH/OVP/DCOS/NFIU/) addressed to Mr. Chukwuka Utazi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes but since then no progress has been made while his body language suggests a support for the Magu led EFCC position echoed by Francis Usani, head of the NFIU who contradicts the global body with his insistence that the NFIU is operationally autonomous.
According to the EFCC Secretary, Emmanuel Aremo, the EFCC is best equipped to protect the NFIU from being endangered by politicians. The groups maintained a stance that supports the NFIU autonomy within the EFCC rather than an independent body outside of it. This position seems to be at home with the House of Representatives which has put forward a bill that seeks to amend the Economic and Financial Crimes (Amendment) Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition & Prevention) Act.
But the Senate is opposed to it, a bill seeking the establishment of the NFI Agency has passed at the Senate which is also at war with the Ibrahim Magu led EFCC. The Senate had explained that its decision to embark on the decoupling option (removing the NFIU from the EFCC) was due to the meddlesomeness of the acting EFCC chairman in spite of the autonomy that the FIU should be granted. The Senate’s position is backed by the Nigeria Law Reform Commission (NLRC), which argued that NFIU should be independent and an autonomous body separated from EFCC.
Nigeria struggled to join the Egmont group as a member after many years in 2007, one of former President Obasanjo’s achievements. Before then, Nigerian banks were blacklisted in international finance and were unable to engage in correspondent banking.
Nigeria’s administrative type FIU makes it inappropriate to be under the control of a law enforcement agency such as the EFCC.
“Of all the 14 countries in West Africa with an FIU, Nigeria is the only jurisdiction that currently domiciles its FIU in a law enforcement agency, EFCC, even when it is registered as an administrative-type FIU. This is a misnomer. Ten of the West African countries have their FIUs domiciled in their respective ministries of finance, while two others have theirs domiciled in central banks, and one in ministry of justice,” Walter Duru, an analyst versed in the subject matter said, expressing support for the creation of an independent NFIU.
Nigeria has invested years and lots of resources into attaining membership of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the expulsion of Nigeria will put the country’s aspiration in jeopardy. It would also place Nigerian transactions on extreme scrutiny and may affect the standing of Nigeria amongst the global community. Students may be affected as the expulsion might attract “the withdrawal by certain countries of scholarships to students of Nigerian origin”, Senator Utazi the sponsor of the autonomous NFIU bill said.
According to one of our sources familiar with the internal workings of Egmont group, the world is impatient with Nigeria and the breach of trust by the EFCC. Our source said:
“For over 20 years Nigeria has been involved in Egmont group and FATF process. The world is continuing to frown that EFCC has not shown great maturity in handling of confidential data. The 7th National assembly agreed that the NFIU should be moved to the CBN but nothing has come out of that.”
Nigeria’s Egmont Group expulsion will ultimately be a death blow to Buhari’s ambition to recover Nigeria’s looted funds abroad as the country will be unable to benefit from financial intelligence, shared by the other 150-member-countries, including the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The Ball is in Osinbajo’s court.
From The whisper
This is not good
ReplyDeleteWe'll make our cards and use it here. Let's see who it will pain when we stop buying from all these countries that exports to us. Mumus.
ReplyDeleteEFCC should ignore and protect criminals abi
Thank you. Whoever wrote this is benefiting from the financial crime in Nigeria.
DeleteSmall pikin dey worry una two. Do you guys think of the implication of stuvs before commenting? If this had no negative implication do you think stella would report it? Oya, carry your notebooks, pencil and bag and put on your uniform, dont forget your lunch break money o and listen when your teacher speaks. Small secondary school kids
DeleteThis Don guy doesn't know anything. He must be in primary school even primary school students with Internet exposure still sabi.
DeleteOn the contrary, he and anonymous 10:07 get the picture. They're the ones talking intelligently here. Getting around the issue may prove a little challenging though.
DeleteMumu APC government. Anything they touch na kaput. Touch and die
ReplyDeletewhat a painful read
What is happening to this country? The ball is rather in buhari's court. What a STURBORN herdsman we have as a president
ReplyDeleteBoring and too long,saying the same thing over and over again
ReplyDeleteThey are the one that will lose. Nigerians are one of the biggest spenders in this part of the world.
ReplyDeleteThis is nothing but arm twisting by the company that's benefiting from the crimes committed by the enemies of the state.
They are making so much from money laundering .
Well said. However, it's a tricky situation and the THEIVES in government know so, that's why they want to resort to armtwisting and play that card.
DeleteThis is bad for people that do international biz.
ReplyDeleteThis is bad really really bad.
ReplyDeleteOnly coins should be allowed in Nigeria. Let us see how somebody will carry 3 billion naira coins. Happy independent Nigeria
DeleteOnly coins should be allowed in Nigeria.let's see how they will carry 3billion coins.
DeleteOnly coins should be allowed in Nigeria.let's see how they will carry 3billion coins.
DeleteThis man Magu is the worst man ever, to head the EFCC. This whole problem emanated from overbearing attitude and managerial ineptitude. His wickedness and pettiness knows no bounds. He has refused to promote his regular staff, some of who are even due for double promotion, just because he wants to perpetually subject them under police supremacy. Allowances due to staff are not paid. Last December he seized their 4th quarter allowance, a paltry sum below 100k. The reason being that people were glad about his rumoured removal in December. EFCC staff keep living from hand to mouth, payment of children's school fees and house rents have become so difficult for staff, save for the police in there who handle investigations and collect lots of bribe along the line. EFCC has been reduced to a one-man-show, not even the directors can give him suggestions on how to run the place. The commission secretary is as useless as it can be. Magu threatens all the senior staff with transfers to Maiduguri so none of them has the gut to stick out his neck for what is right.
ReplyDeleteThe level of decay in the commission has assumed unprecedented heights under Magu yet, the cabal sees him as the messiah. EFCC needs to be sanitized and purged of police influence before it can become a reputable institution.
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This is not good at all
ReplyDeleteI so support.let see how this criminals ,corrupt politicians will use their cards outside Nigeria. Let us ban dollar account.
ReplyDeleteFrancis Uwani oh **crying in stability**.. This man is too hungry for the world! I always wondered what extent he would go to get Nfiu to be Independent. Well people just know the above is propaganda to get Nigerians to help nfiu separate from efcc so some big big thieves can chop and clean mouth.
ReplyDeleteThese people just dey spoil business for person. Na to dey carry dollars waka as you travel be that ... I hope this is reserved anyway. It is not nice at all
ReplyDelete