RismadarVoice Reporters
July 23, 2026
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called on female lawyers across the country to collaborate with the Commission in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
Olukoyede made the call on Wednesday at a one-day training organised for members of the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF), Abuja Branch, with the theme, “Mastering SCUML Registration and AML/CFT Compliance Training for Legal Practitioners.”
Represented by the Deputy Commander of the EFCC, Samu Pascal, the EFCC Chairman urged legal practitioners to uphold the integrity of the legal profession by ensuring that their services are not exploited for money laundering, terrorism financing or other financial crimes.
He stressed that lawyers occupy a strategic position as gatekeepers of the financial system and should actively support the implementation of Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) framework.
According to him, the training was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of their obligations under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and other relevant AML/CFT regulations, while strengthening collaboration between the EFCC’s Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) and the legal profession.
Olukoyede said the engagement would also provide practical solutions to compliance challenges, expose participants to emerging trends in financial crimes and promote adherence to professional ethics.
Speaking earlier, the Chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Abuja Branch, Hadiza Afegbua, commended the EFCC for organising the training, describing it as a valuable platform for legal practitioners to enhance their knowledge of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations.
She reaffirmed the commitment of female lawyers to supporting efforts aimed at protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system and preventing the misuse of the legal profession for illicit financial activities.
Also speaking, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Korede Abdulaziz, who delivered a paper titled “Lawyers, Compliance and National Security: Understanding AML/CFT, Equipping Nigerian Legal Practitioners for Regulatory Excellence,” urged participants to familiarise themselves with the country’s 2022 AML/CFT legal framework.
She emphasised the importance of conducting Customer Due Diligence (CDD), identifying Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs), balancing legal professional privilege with reporting obligations, and adopting a risk-based approach to compliance in legal practice.
