23 September 2010

http://allafrica.com/stories/201009230524.html

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), an arm of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are fine-tuning efforts to enhance smooth interface in the fight against money laundering in the country.

The IMF team leader, Mr. Manuel Vasduez and the head of NFIU, Mr. Norman Sixth Wokoma, disclosed this on Wednesday, during a visit by IMF technical team to the NDLEA headquarters in Lagos.

The team was received by the NDLEA Chairman Ahmadu Giade.

In his remarks, Vasduez said his visit was to provide technical assistance to anti-money laundering agencies in Nigeria. "We are in Nigeria to conduct an assessment of technical needs of anti-money laundering agencies". He also made a case for training and greater interface among law enforcement agencies in the country.

NDLEA boss thanked them for the visit and promised full cooperation with stakeholders in the fight against money laundering. According to Giade, "NDLEA is the first Agency vested with power to fight money laundering crime in the country. We are committed to total war against money laundering and will interface with relevant bodies in building capacities in addressing the money laundering cases".

The NDLEA director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Femi Oloruntoba also disclosed that the agency has an amendment act before the National Assembly whereby drug suspects evading prosecution will forfeit their assets if after two years they fail to show up. However, before such assets are forfeited there will be a publication in a national newspaper to that effect after the two-year period.

The NDLEA Director of Administration and Finance, Dr. Daniel Shaga Ismaila presented a plaque to Vasduez in appreciation of the visit. Also present at the meeting were directors, assistant directors and senior officers..

Meanwhile, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said yesterday that it has arrested six suspected drug traffickers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

The suspects it was gathered allegedly tried to smuggled 9.075kg of narcotics out of the country. "Bulk of the drug tested positive for cocaine weighing 8.025kg while the remaining 1.050kg is heroin. Five of the drug suspects were apprehended while attempting to smuggle the drugs out of the country while one was caught on his way from Istanbul, Turkey."