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The United Kingdom has strengthened its partnership with Nigeria to combat fraud, and detect and deter financial crimes with the agreement of a new joint action plan.
The British High Commission in Nigeria disclosed the development in a statement released Thursday, outlining a collaborative effort focused on intelligence sharing, trend analysis, and joint operations and performance monitoring.
The initiative aims to bolster the protection of citizens in both nations from financial losses and the increasingly sophisticated threats posed by fraudsters.
According to the commission, the agreement was finalised during a meeting between Lord Hanson, UK minister for fraud, and key Nigerian officials including Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general and minister of justice, and Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA).
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Hanson highlighted the importance of international partnerships in tackling fraud, noting that many of these crimes originated overseas.
He noted that fraud ruins lives and strips people of their savings, confidence, and sense of security.
“The joint action plan will enable both countries to better identify and stop fraud before it happens, crack down on criminals who exploit systems, and ultimately protect the public from the devastating impact of fraud, ” the minister said.
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Ribadu called for sustained commitment, stating previous successes on tackling the issue would afford the initiative an opportunity for achievement.
The statement said both countries would work collectively to bring criminals to justice, adding that the UK’s Serious Fraud Office will provide targeted training for Nigerian prosecutors.
