US Embassy hails EFCC’s impact in combating corruption

The United States Director of Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Candace Spradley, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for combating corruption and financial crimes.

She described the Commission’s efforts as “impressive” during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at its headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

Spradley said, “I am so pleased to be with you here today. I’ve been in the country for about five months now, but earlier in my career with the Department of State, I learned about the EFCC and the very impressive work you have been doing to advance anti-corruption and financial crime efforts. It was part of the reason I chose to come here because of the strong and impressive cooperation from EFCC and similar government bodies in the U.S.”

Spradley further congratulated the EFCC on its accomplishments, noting the organization’s impact in Washington. “Congratulations to you for the impressive work the organization has done under your tenure and the name it has made for the government of Nigeria in Washington. It is an outstanding and impressive effort with a far-reaching impact,” she stated.

She also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration in key areas, including cybercrime, asset forfeiture, recovery, anti-corruption, and transparency. “These are top priorities for the US Embassy and our Ambassador here,” she added.

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In his remarks, EFCC Chairman, Olukoyede, expressed gratitude for the partnership with the US Embassy and highlighted the shared goals of both institutions.

He said, “The mandates that are set before you and ours are quite similar. There is a relationship between dealing in narcotics and money laundering. Money laundering has become one of the biggest financial crimes with a global dimension, and it is imperative for the international community to form synergies to fight these crimes. So, it is important for us to work together.”

Olukoyede also pointed to the EFCC’s robust collaboration with the American Embassy and the FBI, emphasizing mutual benefits in areas such as capacity building. He underscored the Commission’s commitment to tackling international crimes, citing a recent case involving nearly 200 expatriates involved in internet fraud in Nigeria.

He added, “You are aware of the recent international crime that was busted in Nigeria involving close to 200 foreigners. Investigations revealed that some of these individuals were dislodged from parts of South Asia and are now seeking a safe haven within Africa to attack global targets. Nigeria will not create that environment for them. We will deploy intelligence-driven operations to get them out of our system.”

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