By Olawale Lamina
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ,ICPC, and the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency, EIA, have signed an historic agreement to tackle corruption in the public sector in recognition of the need for increased transparency and accountability to address environmental crime.
The joint agreement was entered into on Friday 20 September by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN and Justin Gosling, EIA’s Securing Criminal Justice Programme Lead, leading to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which now opens the door for increased cooperation and information sharing between the respective organisations.
Recognisimg the importance of addressing corruption within the field of environmental crime, Dr. Aliyu stated that, “Environmental crimes such as wildlife trafficking, pollution and those contributing to climate change pose a major threat to Nigerians.
“The role of public sector corruption is unacceptable and ICPC looks forward to cooperating with the EIA to improve our response to this important area of criminal activity.”
EIA has been working for almost five years in Nigeria and in West and Central Africa, developing the capacity of investigators, raising awareness and understanding among prosecutors and the judiciary, forging relationships with the public and private financial sectors and assessing and developing new endangered species legislation, in addition to supporting civil society organisations in the region.
Gosling, in his response said that the new partnership was critical to evolving environmental crime in the region.
“Environmental criminal networks are driven by profit and financial gain and the role of corruption in public sectors cannot be underestimated,” he said. “We welcome this groundbreaking agreement with the ICPC and look forward to developing strategies together to address wildlife trafficking and other forms of environmental crime,” he stressed.
EIA’s projects in West and Central Africa are supported by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Defra Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, the Pangolin Crisis Fund and the Full Circle Foundation.
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