The Nigerian Army and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have renewed their strategic collaboration in the fight against corruption and financial crimes in Edo State, reinforcing a long-standing partnership between the two institutions.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, announced the development on Tuesday, following a courtesy visit by Brig.-Gen. A. O. Balogun, the newly appointed Commander of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, to the Commission’s Benin Zonal Directorate.
Balogun underscored the vital role of the EFCC in safeguarding Nigeria’s financial integrity and stressed that the agency needed the collective support of all Nigerians. He further highlighted that cooperation among security stakeholders was essential for detecting and disrupting illicit financial flows. “If we can detect the flow of funds, we can nip such crimes in the bud,” he said.
He also praised the longstanding relationship between the Army and the EFCC, which has included training programmes, joint operations against illegal oil bunkering and other collaborative efforts aimed at tackling economic crimes. Balogun emphasised that both institutions shared the same goal. “It is not about competition but collaboration. It doesn’t matter who kills the snake as much as the snake is killed,” he remarked.
Responding, the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC in Benin, Deputy Commander Sa’ad Hanafi Sa’ad, welcomed the Army’s renewed support, describing synergy among security agencies as indispensable in fighting criminality. “No single agency or institution can eliminate crimes on its own,” he said.
Sa’ad affirmed that the Army remained a crucial partner in the EFCC’s operations, adding that both organisations were united in their desire to build a better and more secure Nigeria.
