Leke Baiyewu, Abuja
The Senate on Thursday passed the bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency, one week after it was sponsored in the chamber.
The passage followed the adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes on the bill.
The body, which is currently a department in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, was moved to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Senate said the bill was aimed at making the NFIU autonomous to pave the way for the Nigeria’s re-admittance into the EGMONT Group after the country’s suspension.
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, in his remarks, thanked the lawmakers for expediting the process, leading to the passage of “this very important bill.”
He said, “We believe that this is a major contribution into the fight against corruption in Nigeria and the international community will take us more seriously for taking the step today.
“I hope that Egmont Group will also take the decision to lift the suspension on Nigeria because of this step we have taken today.
“The fact of relocating the agency under the CBN will give other agencies sufficient access to the job of this agency in such a way that there will be no control of the NFIU that will lead Nigeria to another round of suspension.
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