In a gesture of acknowledgment and support, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) has expressed its commendation for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its resolute efforts to combat corrupt practices nationwide. The commendation was conveyed on Thursday, November 23, 2023, during a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, by a delegation from SCB, led by its Executive Director and Head of Compliance, Siji Adeyinka.
During the visit, Managing Director and Head of Europe and Americas, Mathew Brown, articulated the bank’s perspective on the EFCC, referring to it as “a very interesting law enforcement agency that is trying hard to protect the image of the country.” Brown further emphasized the positive collaboration between SCB and the EFCC, stating that the bank has found the experience of working with the Commission to be beneficial.
Adeyinka, shedding light on the purpose of the engagement, expressed SCB’s interest in comprehending the EFCC’s strategy in combating economic and financial crimes as a means of aligning with its objectives. “Part of our intention is to continue to engage with the EFCC to try as much as possible to let them understand our own strategy in terms of combating financial crimes,” he asserted. Adeyinka also advocated for reciprocal support from the EFCC, revealing that SCB had recently provided training to the Commission’s staff on issues related to financial crimes.
In response to the commendation, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, conveyed his gratitude, speaking through the Secretary to the Commission, Mohammad Hammajoda. Olukoyede affirmed the EFCC’s commitment to collaborating with any agency dedicated to eradicating corruption from the country. He proposed the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the EFCC and SCB, outlining specific areas of mutual interest.
Olukoyede stated, “We will continue to collaborate with you. The essential thing is for us to deploy everything we have to fight corruption, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Let’s speak against it, let’s fight it for us to leave legacies for our children to reach their pinnacles.”
Adding to the discussion, the Director of Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkol, emphasized the EFCC’s prioritization of capacity building and expressed appreciation for SCB’s training program for the Commission’s staff. Chukkol acknowledged the critical role of banks as major stakeholders in the fight against economic and financial crimes and underscored the significance of the strengthened relationship with SCB. “Banks are our major stakeholders in the fight against economic and financial crimes. This is the first training we are getting from SCB. We will take our relationship with the bank more seriously,” he affirmed.
