Workers in financial institutions in the country have been ordered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to declare their assets.
The anti-graft agency also fixed June 1st, 2021 as deadline for compliance, saying the initiative is aimed at checkmating the role of banks in keeping funds acquired illegitimately.
“Let me just put this, we understood that at the tail end of every financial crime is for the criminal to have access to the funds that he or she has illegitimately gotten and we’re worried about the roles of financial institutions,” Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC chairman said Tuesday after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.
“And we have discussed, but we hope that all financial institutions, particularly the bankers, will declare their assets as provided for by the law, in accordance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act.
“And that the EFCC, come the 1st of June 2021, will be demanding for these asset declaration forms, filled by the bankers so that the line that we have drawn from the 1st of June is really complied with by bankers in particular,” he said.
He also appealed to the youths to refrain from committing financial crimes because it gives the nation a bad name internationally.
“As a young man, I am appealing to all young Nigerians to desist from these cybercrime activities. It is bringing bad image to our country, it is giving bad name to our country, it is also chasing away a lot of foreign investment that we need,” Bawa said.
“And I call on all parents, guardians, and, of course, elders in the community, in the society to talk to these young people to desist from these crimes.
“These are crimes that they commit online. And of course, there is nothing like patting your back to say go and sin no more. Our laws does not provide for that. It is a crime and as we say in EFCC, EFCC will get you anywhere, anytime,” the anti-graft czar added.
