President Goodluck Jonathan has been warned against collapsing the anti-graft agencies in the country with the Nigeria Police as recommended by the Steve Oronsaye panel because of the grave implications.
The warning?? was?? read yesterday by the opposition Action Congress Party of Nigeria (ACN) in a press statement issued and signed by its National Secretary,? Senator Lawal Shuaibu,? who played prominent role? during the process that led to the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC).
Oronsaye Committee on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), has recommended to the Federal government, on some areas of cutting wastes and thereby reducing cost of governance. One of the recommendations is the need for the collapsing of? the ICPC/EFCC into the Police force.
But the statement which hailed the panel’s? work however disagreed with the recommendation? stating that: “One area that we seem to disagree with the Committee is their recommendation on collapsing the ICPC/EFCC into the Nigeria Police, merely for the purpose of cutting costs and reducing duplications.
Crime prevention is beyond saving cost as it is the bedrock of human security and development. Corruption and Money Laundering are the biggest challenges for Nigeria and therefore no cost is too high in tackling the menace.
“It is quite true, that the inability of the Police to tackle these problems was responsible for the establishment of these organisations. In some nations they are operated by specific police departments.
Even the drug law? enforcement function, is the responsibility of a department in the police force in places like South Africa and India, not to talk of fighting crimes like corruption, money laundering and fraud, which under normal situations, are basic functions of the Police Force,” Shuaibu stated.