The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, has been called upon to continue assisting the banking sector in investigating and preventing fraud.
The Head – Asset Remedial/Risk Management Division of Keystone Bank, Victoria Island Lagos Mr. Chukwudi J. Okonkwo made the appeal on Tuesday September 7, 2021 during a visit to the Uyo Zonal Command of the Commission.
Referring to the EFCC as a ‘strategic partner’, Mr. Okonkwo commended the Commission for ensuring that criminal matters are not dismissed as civil and achieving results in dealing with financial crimes. “We call the EFCC our strategic partners and we want the EFCC to continue to guide us on the things we need to know, to prevent the relationship from getting toxic because we want the relationship to improve. We want to pledge our unalloyed support in this fight, as the EFCC has never disappointed, unlike other agencies that are often quick to dismiss certain complaints from the banks as civil, but EFCC will always look deeper. People still take loans from Banks and flee, it’s only when you have some of these issues that you will realise the role of the Commission and appreciate the fact that the EFCC is different” Okonkwo said.
Responding, the Zonal Commander ACE-1 Nwanneka Nwokike welcomed the visitors and assured them that the Commission is not out to fight banks, but to work with them in fighting financial crimes. He further educated the visiting team on the importance of complying with the ‘Know – Your – Customer’ directive to banks, and urged them to help the fight against financial crimes by ensuring prompt response to investigation activity letters from the Commission.
