The National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) is seeking collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the anti-corruption war.
The NBA National Publicity Secretary, Dr Rapulu Nduka, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
Nduka said that NFIU sought the partnership during a courtesy visit to the NBA leadership on Wednesday.
“NFIU team led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Modibbo R. Tukkur, highlighted the critical role of NBA and its members in fighting corruption,” he said.
He noted that NFIU was in a position to request disclosure of sources of funds, investigate funds and checkmate money laundering and other corrupt practices.
“The NFIU boss reiterated that NBA’s role as a self-regulatory organisation imposes a moral responsibility on it and her members to ensure that there are ethical rules that modulate their relationship with clients and members of the society at large,” he said.
Nduka said that NFIU team recommended that NBA should set up a dedicated self-regulatory desk officer at the NBA Secretariat as well as an anti-money laundering committee to collaborate with NFIU on its anti-corruption mandate.
He added that NFIU recommended that NBA should train lawyers on their roles in fighting money laundering and related corrupt practices.
According to him, in response, the NBA President, Mr Olumide Akpata, pledged that the association would work with government agencies to ensure that legal practice in Nigeria would be in line with global best practices.
“The NBA president further assured NFIU of its willingness to collaborate with it in building the capacity of legal practitioners,” he said.
He said that the capacity building could be in the areas of education on anti-money laundering activities and investigation of sources of funds in a manner that would not compromise professional obligations to clients.
Nduka said that NBA president also pledged to set up an anti-money laundering committee that would come up with robust anti-money laundering rules that would govern legal practitioners in their dealings with both corporate and private clients.
