DETECTIVES from the United States (U.S.) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the British Metropolitan Police are collaborating with their counterparts in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop corrupt Nigerians from contesting the April general elections.
EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who disclosed this yesterday, said the body had received $32 million (about N4.06 billion) grant from the European Union (EU) to investigate office seekers.
The commissions� report, he said, would be forwarded to the political parties to guide them in the choice of candidates for the elections.
Mallam Ribadu spoke yesterday when a consortium of world anti-corruption bodies led by the Norwegian Minister of International Development Mr. Ekik Solhen paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.
Mallam Ribadu at the meeting confirmed that the commission was working on the list of corrupt Nigerians and had engaged the services of the FBI and Metropolitan Police to track down corrupt politicians ahead of the April polls.
According to him, the EFCC had also launched a crime bursting technology, code named Real Time Information Technology, which will enable the agency respond on the spot to any suspicious bank transaction in the country.
He said the new system will enable the agency be at the bank or other financial institutions where suspicious transaction is being made.
This he said was against the present practice where the bank can only report suspicious transaction after it was over.
Mallam Ribadu said that the list of the persons that allegedly stashed away public funds in foreign accounts is being investigated by the EFCC.
He also said that the commission has commenced full scale investigation into the award of oil blocks to some persons.
Mallam Ribadu said that the probe was largely informed by the true and cry that trailed the handling of the deal (oil blocks).
According to him, the agency was probing the award of the oil blocks to see if there was anything untoward in the bidding and award of the blocks.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Solhen said that the fight against corruption has remain a global concern.
According to him, the team was in Nigerian to appraise the ongoing war against corruption.