EFCC boss warns fake NGOs, CSOs against exploiting IDPs

EFCC boss warns fake NGOs, CSOs against exploiting IDPs

- Non-governmental organisations and civil society groups in Borno state have been warned by EFCC against exploiting IDPs

- The commission said it will not waste time in prosecuting those who are perpetrating evil and defrauding the public in the guise of running NGOs

- Some of the internally displaced persons in the state recently protested against what they described as maltreatment

Ibrahim Magu, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has warned fake Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society groups in Borno state against exploiting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Speaking through the head, Maiduguri zonal office of the EFCC, Lawrence Iwodi, Magu said it was unfortunate that some individuals were taking advantage of the plights of IDPs in the state, by exploiting them through fake NGOs.

Iwodi expressed the concerns during a familiarisation visit to the executive director of the civil society organisations in Maiduguri, Borno state.

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He said: “The advocacy of the CSOs in respect of its slogan ‘the voice of the voiceless’ is similar to the mission and vision of the EFCC in the fight against graft.

“President Muhammadu Buhari said, ‘if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria’. Those that are suffering are the ones that cannot talk. When you succeed with your mission, the society will progress.”

He said the EFCC will not waste time in prosecuting those who are perpetrating evil and defrauding the public in the guise of running NGOs.

“The EFCC has received various complaints from individuals who were defrauded by fake NGOs,” he said, stressing that it was necessary for NGOs to register with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML).

He charged the CSOs to watch out for fraudulent NGOs and report them to the commission for proper investigation and subsequent prosecution.

Magu observed that some of the local and international NGOs came in the name of rendering humanitarian assistance, but their activities were far from what they do.

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The EFCC boss further urged them to embrace the whistle-blowing policy of the federal government, stressing that the anti-graft agency was willing to collaborate with all stakeholders to check money laundering activities in the country.

In response, the executive director of the CSOs, Ambassador Shehu Ahmad, promised to collaborate with the EFCC in every way possible. “We represent the voice of the voiceless,” he said, further explaining that the network included CSOs, Labour Unions, NGOs, and Students Unions amongst others.

Legit.ng reported that the IDPs on Tuesday, February 5, took their protest to the streets of Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno state. The protesters during the incident, barricaded a major highway - Maiduguri/Kano Expressway to register their displeasure.

The protest were based on allegations of hunger and poor treatment of the displaced persons by officials of the Shettima Ali Monguno Teachers Village camp who handle their welfare.

Some of the displaced person who spoke on the matter said trouble started in the camp when officials of the International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC) visited the location to distribute food and relief items.

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Source: Legit.ng

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