FBI, US Justice Department offer support to ICPC

The offer, according to a statement posted on the ICPC website, is specifically coming from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice.

A team of officials from both organs of the U.S. government made the proposal during a visit to the ICPC Chairman, Mr Ekpo Nta, in Abuja, the commission said.

It said the team comprised Special Agent Pamela Bergren of the FBI; Scott Thorley of the U.S. Department of Justice; Special Agent John Wilson of the FBI and Legal Attache, U.S. Embassy, Nigeria; and Jim Oscar of the FBI.

Wilson was quoted as saying that the team would like to organise a mentorship programme for investigators and prosecutors of the commission.

He emphasised that the involvement of prosecutors in the investigation process of a case from start to finish would greatly improve the chances of successful prosecutions.

The special agent reportedly noted that the team had been working with other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria.

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He added that the proposed mentorship would help the officers of the commission to achieve timely case management and save resources that would have been otherwise wasted.

Responding, the ICPC chairman, represented by the Commission’s Secretary, Mr Elvis Oglafa, solicited the assistance of the U.S. in its operations.

Nta said the commission would welcome any idea that would improve its prosecutorial and investigative processes as well as the various preventive strategies in its anti-corruption campaign.