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He gave the charge
at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria,
CIBN’s Anti-Money Laundering workshop, which held at the Reiz
Continental Hotel, Abuja
on April 23, 2015.
Lamorde, who was represented
by the Commission’s Director, Finance and Accounts, Bukar Abba, described money
laundering as an evil that requires collective and concerted efforts to tame.
“Money laundering is
a cross-jurisdictional crime that, while obviating natural and artificial
national boundaries, actually serves to bring nations together in one global
crime-fighting network,” he said.
While lamenting the
impact of illicit financial flows from Africa,
he noted that an estimated $50billion is lost by the continent in illicit
financial flows, thus necessitating the important roles of players in the
financial sector, in combating money laundering.
“These flows relate
principally to commercial transactions, tax evasion, criminal activities
including money laundering; drugs, arms
and human trafficking; bribery, corruption and abuse of office,” Lamorde
further stated.
Quoting from the
December 2014 report of the Global Financial Integrity, titled Illicit
Financial Flows From The Developing World: 2003 to 2013, the EFCC boss
noted that the statistics are enough cause for worry.
“I believe that more
than ever before, there is the need for a concerted push to deal a telling blow
to the criminals in our midst, and we must come to the realization that money
launderers never stop re-inventing themselves,” he said.
In his paper, Anti-Money
Laundering Legislation in Nigeria, New Regulations and Guidance Notes, Bala
Sanga, the project coordinator (Anti-corruption) of the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime, noted that many players in the financial sector, have
provided a platform for politicians to be corrupt.
“There’s the need
for financial institutions to strengthen and enhance proper collation of
customers’ data, and to ensure proper diligence on customers,” Sanga said.
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