The chairman of the Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Kwara State, Barrister Sulyman Kosemani, has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to deal with public officers who mismanage public funds the same way the anti-graft agency is dealing with internet fraudsters.
He stated this when he led other members of his executives on a courtesy call to the zonal director, Harry Erin, of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate Office of the anti-graft agency in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
Kosemani commended the anti-graft agency on its war against corruption in the country, promising to work with it within the ambit of the law to tackle it.
He said the essence of the visit was to enable the new heads from both sides to familiarise and strengthen the existing cordial relationship between the two institutions for better results.
The NBA branch chairman, acknowledged the roles of EFCC in sanitising the country of corruption while also noting the roles of lawyers in ensuring that citizens’ rights are guaranteed.
“We are aware of your role in the society and our responsibility is to promote the rule of law and ensure that citizens rights are not infringed upon,” he said.
“Your adherence to the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, when obtaining statements from suspects is commendable. By following these legal standards, you are not only protecting the rights of individuals but also enhancing the integrity of our justice system.
” Your dedication to transparency and fairness in your investigations reflects positively on the EFCC and reinforces public confidence in your efforts to combat economic and financial crimes.”
“Our ultimate goal is not only to combat corruption but also to foster a collaborative relationship between the legal profession and the EFCC. Together, we can create a united front that strengthens the fight against corruption by working in harmony with the Bar. We can ensure that our collective efforts yield tangible results, reinforcing the trust of the public in both our institutions,” he further asserted.
Responding, the Zonal Director, Harry Erin, thanked his guests for the visit, adding that the EFCC had always enjoyed a good relationship with the bar and would continue to work with it for better results.
According to him, the role of the bar in making the anti-corruption war a success cannot be overemphasised.
“We have a duty to at least get to a stage where our common wealth is not flagrantly and arrogantly pilfered by those who should be held to the highest threshold of accountability,” he said.
He reiterated the firm commitment of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to leave no stone unturned in bringing to justice perpetrators of economic and financial crime, high or low, saying, “It’s not going to be business as usual.”
Erin also described EFCC as one of the agencies of government that has great respect for the rule of law while carrying out its duties.
In the same vein, he enjoined lawyers as practitioners in the temple of justice and patriotic citizens to ensure that individually and collectively, they do not constitute themselves into clogs in the wheel of the progress of the anti-corruption fight by using the instrumentalities of law to frustrate corruption cases while defending their clients in courts.
Erin, who promised to look into the issues of concern raised by Kosemani, called for more collaboration between EFCC and the Bar.
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