The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has explained that its directive to bankers to declare their assets is aimed at sanitising the banking sector.
The EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, stated this yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the opening of a 2-day capacity-building workshop for security agencies.
Recall that the EFCC had, in March, directed all bank executives to declare their assets latest by June 1.
Represented by the EFCC Lagos zonal commander, Mohammed Ghali, Bawa said a clarification became necessary because many people had misconstrued the measure for a “witch hunt”.
Bawa said in carrying out the responsibility of ridding Nigeria of corruption, as mandated by the EFCC Establishment Act, he had realised that “there is a slew of corrupt practices going on in the banking sector”.
He added that the situation had prompted the EFCC, under his watch, to intensify engagement with bank executives, more than ever before.
He assured that the anti-graft agency, through its bank fraud section, would continue to prevent fraudulent practices in the banking sector and prosecute perpetrators of such fraud.
