Posted by By Sunny Igboanugo on
Going by the position of the United States on Tuesday, Abuja's high regard for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for combating fraud appears like pouring water on the back of a tortoise.
Going by the position of the United States on Tuesday, Abuja's high regard for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for combating fraud appears like pouring water on the back of a tortoise.
Like the proverbial barber's chair, the achievements claimed to have been made by the commission may be nothing more than all motion and no movement as America has said Nigeria must do a lot more to clean the tar the menace has splashed on its image over the years.
The position of the U.S. was conveyed at the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of its consulate in Lagos, where its envoy, Michael L. McGee, told journalists at the weekly press briefing that merely arresting people connected with such crimes is not enough proof of the country's seriousness to combat the phenomenon.
He said a situation where the EFCC has convicted only one person from the hundreds brought to trial - out of several arrests made in 419 related cases - points to a flaw in the system.
His words: 'The EFCC and I have talked about it. They are doing a lot of good job. But something is failing them in the entire process. I know that they have been working diligently with the limited resources and funds that they have to try and combat it. But they also need help.
'It is part of every citizen's responsibility to contribute to this - by saying we don't accept this. That, because of my identity as a Nigerian and my country and my nation, where I live and where I want my children to grow, this is not acceptable".
McGee said the image of the country would improve tremendously the moment high calibre individuals are convicted.
'When you have hundreds of cases that were brought and you have thousands of people that were investigated and you have one conviction from the EFCC, what does that tell you? What does that make you think? I am not judging. I am just giving you the findings".
McGee, the Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, reeled out figures relating to 419.
He said the U.S. secret service receives more than 30,000 fraud cases involving Nigerians every month, which has greatly impacted on the country's image and prevented a lot of Nigerians from doing legitimate business.
He explained: 'I know legitimate business people here, hundreds and hundreds of them who say I would have a new line of products to sell. I wrote to XYZ Company in the U.S. or I sent them e-mail or I called them. As soon as they heard that I am from Nigeria, they broke off communication. They are legitimate people and I had to go on their behalf to say I know them".
McGee refused to be swayed by the allegation of the culpability of the U.S. and the international community in the menace by allowing their countries as safe havens for looters of Nigeria's treasury - thereby impoverishing the citizens, who in turn rely on such crimes to survive.
He argued that just as the U.S. is accountable and responsible to its citizens, Nigeria should do the same.