The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the French government have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their collaboration in key areas such as cybercrime investigation, asset tracking, and security training, aimed at enhancing their collective security efforts.
This announcement came after a high-level meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, when Lieutenant General Regis Colombet, the Director of Security and Defence Cooperation at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Ola Olukoyede, the Executive Chairman of EFCC, at the commission’s headquarters.
According to a statement from the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, Colombet praised the ongoing collaboration between the two entities, particularly highlighting France’s role in establishing key training hubs for international security. He pointed to the Cyber School in Dakar, Senegal, which provides specialized training on cyber investigations, ransomware threats, and criminal investigations related to asset tracking.
Furthermore, Colombet referenced an Academy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, dedicated to counterterrorism training as part of France’s broader initiative to tackle global security challenges. He emphasized that France’s approach focuses on creating academic centres and training hubs, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in combating crimes that transcend national borders.
“International collaboration is critical, as crime knows no boundaries,” Colombet remarked. “The EFCC’s role in tackling financial and cybercrimes is vital to strengthening our collective security.”
The visit follows up on a strategic meeting held in December 2024, aimed at fostering stronger ties and exploring ways to enhance the Nigeria-France partnership. According to Oyewale, the discussions were part of a broader initiative to extend France’s cooperation beyond military affairs, touching on areas such as cybersecurity, civil defence, and other critical security matters.
Olukoyede expressed his strong support for the deepening cooperation, recognizing the significant and long-standing partnership between Nigeria and France in addressing crime. He specifically acknowledged the necessity of joining forces to prevent and investigate cybercrimes, money laundering, and other transnational financial offenses.
“We’ve had a rich history of collaboration with France in crime prevention and investigation, particularly in asset tracing,” Olukoyede said. “Together, we have achieved notable success, and we are committed to further strengthening this relationship.”
A key highlight of the meeting was the EFCC Chairman’s recent success in dismantling an international criminal syndicate operating across Europe and Asia, which had begun to target Nigeria. Some of the syndicate’s victims were in France, underscoring the need for robust international partnerships to stop these networks from gaining traction.
“If we unite in our efforts, we can significantly reduce the ability of these criminals to find safe havens,” Olukoyede remarked. “Our joint responsibility is to ensure that international criminal syndicates are disrupted before they can cause harm.”
He went on to highlight the wider impact of this collaboration, noting that it will help tackle global security threats, such as arms trafficking and terrorism, which often intersect with financial crimes. Olukoyede also emphasized how essential technology and capacity-building are in modern crime fighting, particularly in the context of Nigeria’s unique challenges.
“We deeply value the training opportunities provided by France, which significantly bolster our capacity to fight crime,” Olukoyede said. “In Nigeria, crime detection requires extensive fieldwork, unlike in Europe, where digital records are readily accessible. By combining our practical expertise with France’s advanced technological tools, we can forge a more efficient crime-fighting strategy.”
The EFCC Chairman also reiterated the commission’s commitment to further collaboration with the French embassy and its security attaché in Nigeria, expressing gratitude for France’s continued support in enhancing Nigeria’s security capabilities.
This growing partnership signals a significant step toward tackling international crime, ensuring borderless cooperation that addresses the evolving threats posed by cybercrime, financial fraud, and other illicit activities. The strengthened bond between the EFCC and the French government could set a new benchmark for cross-border collaboration in the fight against crime.
