EFCC Organises Workshop For Journalists

A two-day workshop organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in conjunction with World Bank for journalists with the theme: “Media Training on Economic Crimes, the EFCC and the Rule of Law,” commenced today in Abuja.

In his remarks at the opening of the workshop, the acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, stated that corruption is the only reason why Nigeria, with its abundant resources, has failed to develop.

Lamorde noted that God has given Nigeria everything a nation needs to develop, but that corruption is Nigeria ’s only problem and the only reason why the country has remained backward.

Lamorde, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Operations, Ahmad Abdulrahman, sought the collaboration of the media and the civil society organisations in the fight against graft.

“There is need for EFCC to partner with the media to drive away the monster that is called corruption,” he added.

The EFCC boss said no single entity could succeed in the war against graft because the task was enormous and needed a collective approach.

“Fighting corruption is not a single entity’s job. Detectives cannot do it alone, we need the help of journalists, whistle blowers and civil society organisations.”

Lamorde charged participants to take advantage of the workshop to improve on their knowledge of investigative journalism practice, noting that the training was organised to bridge the knowledge gap that was noticed in effective crime reporting.

Three papers were presented today. They are: “The Enabling and Operating Environment: A Review of Existing Legislations Guiding the Operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” which was delivered by Mrs. Elizabeth Ayodele, Head of Legal and Prosecution Unit of the EFCC

Others are, “Understanding The Many Facets of Economic Crimes: The Watchdog Role of The Journalists”, delivered by Ayo Aluko-Olokun, Chief Consultant of Tri-Bond Company Limited, and “Fighting the Corruption ‘Fight back’: The imperative of the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, delivered by Edetaen Ojo.

Aluko-Oluokun, in his paper admonished journalists to allow the investigative instincts in them go to work. “If a man presided over a bank and that bank just a decade ago almost lost its license due to round tripping, which is economic sabotage, and was made to pay heavy fines, not once or twice, but the bank also got suspended from the FOREX market, should such a person be raising his shoulders high anywhere at all, let alone at the Presidency”, he queried?

He stated that the media should investigate and profile such persons looking at their antecedents. “Such ‘models’ should not be seen parading themselves within the corridor of power let alone being seen regularly in photographs taken with the President of Nigeria. Such people do this with impunity and indeed the President is proudly posing with such persons. It is a failure of the watchdog duty of the media whose role, as the conscience of the society, is to inform and educate the public”.

Ojo, who was represented by Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said the FOIA makes it mandatory for public institutions to record and keep information about their activities, operations and businesses and maintain the information in a manner that facilitates public access to the information.  He said that an applicant should ordinarily receive the information he or she is requesting within seven days.

He admonished Nigerian journalists to replicate the record of Heather Brooke, who is probably the best known media user of FOI in the world. “With dual U.S. / U.K. citizenship, she worked as a political reporter and a crime reporter in the U.S. before she moved to the U.K. where she now lives and works as a freelance journalist,” he said.

The workshop continues today.