Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on NGOs to declare funds meant for IDPs for verification before disbursement.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Maiduguri zonal commander of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Onwukwe Obiora, says all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) must declare funds meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the anti-graft agency.
Obiora said the local and international NGOs (INGOs) in Yobe and Borno are expected to present ‘‘cash notification forms’’ to the Maiduguri command for vetting and approval before disbursing funds to IDPs.
The cash notification form is a document that reflects the monetary activities and indication of areas where aid flows provided by INGOs and NGOs will be distributed.
Obiora stated this while receiving a delegation from the United Nations cash working group and an international NGO forum in his office.
He also commended the forum for their deliberate efforts to cater for the IDPs in the face of insurgency.
‘‘I want to thank you for your services to the IDPs who are needy and vulnerable, but we must be mindful of the fact that all cash movements by INGOs and NGOs must be declared to the Maiduguri command of the EFCC for verification and monitoring, and we must collaborate so that the funds will not get into the hands of wrong persons during disbursement,’’ he said.
Obiora maintained that there is a need for robust synergy between NGOs and the EFCC to combat the menace of money laundering, terrorism financing, among other financial crimes in the north-east and the country at large.
