The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have agreed to strengthen collaboration in the fight against economic and financial crimes and other forms of criminality in Edo State.
The resolution was reached when the newly elected executive members of the NBA Benin Branch, led by its Chairman, Omorodion Omoigui, paid a courtesy visit to the EFCC Benin Zonal Directorate.
Omoigui said the visit was aimed at familiarising the new NBA leadership with the management of the EFCC and strengthening the existing relationship between both organisations in the fight against corruption and other financial crimes in the state.
He described the EFCC as a critical institution in the criminal justice system, particularly because of the large number of cases it prosecutes before the courts.
According to him, closer cooperation between the legal profession and the anti-graft agency would contribute to more effective efforts to tackle corruption and other forms of criminality in Edo State.
Responding, the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC, Deputy Commander of the EFCC, Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, congratulated the newly elected NBA executives on their successful election.
Sa’ad stressed the importance of the Nigerian Bar Association to the work of the Commission, noting that the courtesy visit would further strengthen the existing relationship between the two institutions.
He said the EFCC recognised the Bar as an important partner in the administration of criminal justice and expressed the Commission’s commitment to sustaining collaboration with the legal profession.
The Acting Zonal Director also attributed the EFCC’s successes in prosecuting cases before the courts to its core values of integrity, professionalism, courage and collaboration.
He expressed confidence that continued cooperation between the EFCC and the NBA would enhance the fight against economic and financial crimes and contribute to strengthening the criminal justice system in Edo State.
