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Uche Usim, Abuja
Following National Assembly’s passage of the Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (CIFIPN), the body at the weekend pledged to support Federal Government’s anti-graft war, banking on the expertise of its members.
The group also blasted the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), for attempting to poison legislators’ minds by dissuading them from passing the CIFIPN Act.
The President of CIFIPN, Dr Victoria Enape, while speaking at a press briefing in Abuja anti-fraud organisation saddled with the responsibilities of providing skills for relevant professionals on the use of science and technology or prevention, detection and investigation of fraud, corruption and cyber crimes, and to put in place some sophisticated measures to prevent future occurrence and to stop illicit financial flows in the country.
She said: “The fight against fraud corruption and cyber crimes is real and CIFIPN is ready and prepared to assist Nigerian government towards the realization of that goal. It is only corrupt persons in Nigeria that will light the establishment of anti-fraud body like ClFlPN in Nigeria because they are comfortable in the evil act for so long while others are languishing in perpetual poverty as a result of empty treasury. All the banks that collapsed in this country were audited by accountants.
“The primary domain of forensic and investigative auditing is to work within the investigative process from the scene of fraud to court, providing information and evidence for administration of justice. CIFIPN ensures that the courts are presented with the best evidence and reliable witnesses.
“Therefore, the place of forensic and investigative professional in economic development in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized because it provides the legal framework for the registration, training, regulation and certification of practitioners in line with global best practices; Membership of the body cuts across different professions like law, criminology, accounting, Taxyation, investigators, police detectives, security experts, psychology, sociology, cyber security etc”, she explained.
On APBN’s attempt to stop the passage of CIFIPN, Enape queried: “Who made APBN a regulatory professional body in Nigeria? Which law empowered them to challenge the existence of another professional body? Why have they become too cheap to be used by some desperate group of persons who have acquired a reputation of fighting every professional body coming up in Nigeria?
“Why are they afraid of competition if at all CIFIPN functions are same with theirs? Why must a particular professional body be jack of all trades in a country of about 200 million people?
“Has Nigeria become their personal property that they can determine whose idea should exist or not? Where have they been when Nigeria has been burning with the fire of fraud, corruption and cyber crimes that have ravaged Nigerian economy all these years and dwarfed development? Can they employ all youths that are roaming the street? Where were they when government treasury was looted by some private individuals in this country without being prosecuted? Were those frauds not aided and abetted by the so-called know-it-all accountants? Have they ever punished such members or any of their erring members)? If not, what is APBN doing about that? Must everything come from them? What makes them think that forensic profess on must come from them? Where were they when CIFIPN started training professionals in this country since 2014?”
