The Legal Attache of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, in Nigeria, Mr. Jack Smith has applauded the appointment of Mr. Ola Olukoyede as Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He gave the commendation on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, in Abuja while on a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of the EFCC.
Smith disclosed that he made personal efforts to study the antecedents of Olukoyede and found out that he has impressive credentials to lead the anti-graft agency.
“I came to congratulate you on your appointment. I did my homework and research and I discovered that your appointment is right”, he said.
Smith, who was accompanied on the visit by Jim Oscar and Ayotunde Solademi, expressed delight with the agenda of reform and refocusing of the EFCC, stressing that it would move the anti-corruption mandate of the Commission forward.
Responding, Olukoyede appreciated the visit and explained that the relationship between the FBI and Nigeria predated the establishment of the EFCC.
He pointed out that his reform agenda for the Commission was not new “but represents more effective ways of achieving the mandate of the EFCC. It is important we properly define the focus of the anti-corruption work that we are doing”, he said.
Olukoyede also stressed that though the Commission is interested in getting results, it is more concerned about getting results through the right means. He pledged more commitment to the existing relationship between the EFCC and FBI, maintaining that the two agencies are partners in progress.
The EFCC Chief also took the FBI’s team through some of the important programmes lined up by the Commission, especially a pending public engagement focusing on youth involvement in cyber crimes, which he said, is borne out of a concern about the youth of the nation and the need to put them in the right direction.
