By Zainab Yusuf (Financial Crime Correspondent)

National Coordinator , Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) for its impressive compliance with the preventive protocols against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

He gave the commendation on Wednesday while gracing a short ceremony on the donation of Personal Protective Equipment ( PEP) and other equipment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, by the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) to the EFCC. According to him, the level of compliance by the EFCC to the COVID-19 protocols is impressive.

"Let me congratulate the EFCC on its impressive level of compliance with the COVID-19 protocols. Since we got into your premises, I have noticed that every staff wears Facemasks, takes temperature tests, uses sanitizers and observes the necessary distancing. This is highly commendable”, he said.

Aliyu pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic was not only a health issue, “it has become a national security issue. It is the biggest crisis of our time, not just a health crisis but a crisis across the world”, he said. He charged the EFCC to continue to enforce every discipline involved in ensuring the safety of its staff.

Meanwhile, management staff of the NHIS, led by its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer( CEO), Professor Mohammed Nasir Sambo, donated some items as Personal Protective Equipment( PEP) to the EFCC. The items include, 100 units of Infra-red Thermometers; 500 bottles of hand sanitizers, 125 pack of Disposable Masks and 200 units of Disposable White Protective Suits. The items, according to Sambo, were donated to support the EFCC in coping with the prevention of the COVID-19 scourge.

Sambo expressed appreciation to the EFCC “for playing gigantic roles in the success of the NHIS. So far, the Commission has assisted the NHIS in recovering about N4billion from Heritage bank”.

In his response, Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Umar Abba Mohammed, appreciated the NHIS for its gestures. “ The gestures will go a long way in assisting us to cope with the preventive protocols of COVID-19. He disclosed that the EFCC is coping adequately with the challenges posed by the pandemic, through the use of technologies in carrying out its works. “ We are maximising technologies in our operations”, he said. He also promised that the donated items will be circulated across all the zonal offices of the EFCC. NNL.