Interpol Extends Specialised Platform To EFCC

The International Police (Interpol) has extended its globalised information platform to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Spokesperson of the commission, Mr Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the platform, codenamed 1P-247, was extended to the EFCC at a brief ceremony attended by the acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu.

“The IP-24/7 is a global police communications system that connects law enforcement agencies in all the 194 member- countries.

“It enables users share sensitive and urgent police information with their counterparts around the globe, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

“With the extension of IP-247 to the EFCC, the commission now has direct and quick access to 18 databases through which information about criminal activities across the world can be accessed,” he said.

Oyewale also quoted the Head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, Garba Umar, as congratulating Magu on the new milestone achieved by the commission.

Garba said that the extension of the platform was made possible by the EFCC chairman’s passion and determination in the fight against financial crimes in Nigeria.

He described the platform as a great breakthrough in criminal investigations.

According to him, with access to the platform, the EFCC can now manage the 18 databases itself without going through the Interpol secretariat in Lyon, France.

Responding, Magu thanked the Interpol for extending IP-247 to the EFCC and its role in facilitating arrests and investigations of many high profile corrupt individuals.

“Things get done when you work with Interpol. We have been planning this since 2018 and I thank God it is happening today,” he said.

Magu also expressed delight that the platform would energise every enforcement initiative of the EFCC, stressing that “enforcement is the greatest deterrent to corruption.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the EFCC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Interpol on Nov. 29, 2018, as part of its collaborative efforts, aimed at tackling the menace of corruption in Nigeria.