EFCC: Men Commit More Crimes Than Women

EFCC boss, Lamorde

The number of women involved in organised financial crime in Nigeria is statistically low when compared to men, this is according to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, made this statement on Monday, 11 August, 2014 in Abuja when he declared open a one-day anti-corruption sensitisation workshop for women civil society and community-based groups in the North Central zone.
The anti graft agency boss was represented by Dr. David Tukura, EFCC’s Director, Planning and Statistics, stating that research had shown that fewer women than men were involved in corrupt practices in the country.
“We have done a gender analysis on crimes; in the area of advanced fee fraud, economic governance, money laundering, and all the others.
“When we did the gender analysis, we found out that men were tops. The index showed ninety something percent, while women’s participation is as low as less than five percent.
“So, we find that the number of women who are actually involved in economic and financial crimes are low and we can prove that statistically from our own work,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the workshop was:’How Women’s Organisation Can Aid the Fight against Corruption, Economic and Financial Crimes’, Lamorde urged women to key into the fight against corruption and financial crimes in the country.
According to him, we are convinced that the power to change the destiny of our nation as one blighted by deep-rooted corruption lies in our hands.
He said the workshop was one little step in the long journey to make everyone take ownership of the war against corruption.
“We all agreed that corruption undermines human development and democracy, corruption reduces public revenue, often resulting in lower levels of spending on education, healthcare and other social services.
“Women are more vulnerable to the impact of corruption than men,” said the chairman.
Lamorde informed that participants drawn from the conclusion of the various zonal workshops were expected to form a core platform known as “Women Anti-corruption Network.”
He said that through such platform the commission and other stakeholders could interface with the public on the issue of gender and corruption.
The EFCC is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud (419 fraud) and money laundering.
The agency was established in 2003, partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community’s efforts to fight money laundering. It has head office in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.