The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa has said the Commission recorded 2, 220 convictions in the year 2021.

Mr. Bawa who stated this at the EFCC Headquarters, Wednesday, during a Workshop on "Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes,".

The workshop was organized by the Public Affairs Department of EFCC for Press Corps.

He however assured that, the Commission was "poised to improve on that figure."

He also disclosed that EFCC’s intervention in the Forex market has had tremendous impact on the value of the Naira.

According to him, "Following the Commission’s intervention, the Naira has appreciated significantly against the Dollar in the parallel market, and we are not relenting in our efforts to check harmful speculative activities in the sector.

"I urge you to also beam your searchlights on this area as it is in our collective interest to have a national currency whose value is not subject to the whims of crooked speculators.

"The war against corruption is a worthy fight for the soul of Nigeria, and for the future generation; it should not be left to the EFCC alone. Nevertheless, there are issues in the media profiling of the Commission that are less than desirable.

"The notion, for instance, that the Commission is draconian in its approach to fighting cybercrime is perhaps borne out of poor understanding of its modus operandi. But I am convinced that at the end of this workshop we will all be better educated on the processes and procedures of the EFCC."

Earlier in his remarks, the EFCC Boss noted that, the decision of the Commission to sponsor the workshop underscores the importance which it attaches to the role of the media in the fight against economic and financial crimes, including corruption.

Without doubt, he said, the media’s ability to inform and sensitize the people on the ills of corruption and economic crime is crucial for us.

"So far, the media has been helpful. If nothing else, the Commission enjoys a visibility that makes it the reference point for effectiveness in law enforcement in Nigeria.

“This event is therefore one of the interventions by the Commission to improve the capacity of the media to deliver on its constitutional mandate as the Fourth Estate of the Realm.

"As a worthy, dependable and reliable ally, I want to use this opportunity to further urge media practitioners to put the interest of our Country at heart, particularly as it relates to a conscientious effort not to celebrate the corrupt in our midst, but to expose them on the pages of your newspapers, screens of television or our various online platforms.

"As watchdog of society, you must be mindful that your reportage is a mirror that shapes global perception of our institutions and nation. It logically follows that this sacred duty is one that must be discharged with a lot of responsibility and, of course, patriotism."

In his paper presentation, the Head of Legal and Prosecution Department, DCE Sylvanus Tahir, who was represented by Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Samuel Okeleke, stated that, the economic and financial crimes are a social menace that have eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian polity.

This, he said posed one of the greatest threats to economic and political development of the country.

He said, "All these crimes harm our economy in no small measures. The question that comes to mind is why have these crimes continued unabated in spite of the government's laudable steps to address them? It's because many are those who want the old dispensation to continue.

"There are those whose lives thrive on corruption. There are yet others who even though are paid to check the activities of these ones are ever willing to share in the proceeds with the event that they themselves become culprits."