The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday
passed the three Anti Corruption Bills.
They are Witness Protection
Bill; Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill and Whistle Blowers’ Protection
Bill 2017.
Meanwhile, in support of the
anti-corruption agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal
Government, the Senate resolved to pass a law to establish a substantive and
autonomous Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), following the suspension
of Nigeria from the EGMONT Group.
The EGMONT Group is a network of
152 Member Countries that share information relating to criminal intelligence
and financial investigations that deal with money laundering, terrorism
financing, proliferation of arms, corruption, financial crimes and economic
crimes.
The suspension means that Nigeria
will no longer be able to benefit from the financial intelligence shared by the
other 152 member countries of the group, which includes the United States and the
United Kingdom, which will significantly hamper its abilities to recover stolen
funds that are stashed abroad.
Senate adopted a multiple point
resolution that called for the establishment of an independent NFIU, and the
empowerment of the unit to be able to exchange and relate with all countries on
the issues within its mandate at bilateral and multi-lateral meetings.
Senate called on the Ministries
of Justice, Finance and Interior to work to ensure that Nigeria’s suspension is
immediately reversed and ensure that all the conditions set by the EGMONT Group
are met to re-admit and improve Nigeria’s standing within the Group.
The Senate also called on the
Executive branch to ensure that it includes a separate budget for the NFIU in
any supplementary budget that it sends to the National Assembly before the end
of the year, stating that this will ensure that Nigeria’s suspension is lifted
as soon as possible.
In his comments, President of the
Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, stated that separating the NFIU from the
EFCC will show that we are serious about this anti-corruption fight. The Senate
President further called on the Senate to begin the process of enacting the
law.
“We must make sure that the
suspension is lifted,” Saraki said, “The earlier we get it lifted the better it
is for our image and the sooner we can restore our standing internationally.”
Senator Foster Ogala (Bayelsa
West), stated that the expulsion of Nigeria from the UN-backed EGMONT Group
would spell doom for Nigeria, while also urging the Senate to initiate the passage
of the NFIU Establishment Act in order to ensure that it contributes its own
significant quota to fighting corruption in Nigeria.
The Senate further directed that
its Committee on Anti-Corruption should begin working on a Bill and present it
to the full plenary within 4-weeks.
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