The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, on Monday, decried the rising cases of fraud in banks and other financial institutions in the country.
The EFCC chief, who addressed participants at a capacity building workshop for law enforcement agencies organised by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the commission would continue to check the dealings of bank executives in the country.
Represented by Ahmed Mohammed Ghali, the EFCC Zonal Commandant in Lagos, Bawa said the commission would not relent in its efforts at sanitizing the country’s financial institutions.
He said: “We are aware of the different shades of fraudulent activities going on in our financial institutions, particularly in the banking industry sector.
In carrying out our mandate of ridding Nigeria of corruption, as mandated by the EFCC Establishment Act, we have realized that there is a slew of corrupt practices going on in the banking sector.
“I recall that upon assumption of office, one of the major pronouncements I made was giving a directive to bankers to declare their assets before June 1, 2021.
“I had given the directive genuinely out of the sincerity of purpose, knowing the rots that permeate the nation’s banking sector.
“In other words, the directive was born out of efforts to sanitize the banking sector. But it was received with mixed feelings.
“It is obvious that those who kicked or are still kicking against the directive are ignorant of the unmistakable details of the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act.”
