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A Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, has cautioned against separating the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) from the EFCC.

He spoke yesterday at an Anti-Corruption Situation Room, organised by the HEDA Resource Centre in Abuja.

Ribadu said the plan would create a setback in the country’s anti-corruption drive.

While disclosing that the NFIU was conceived and nursed by the EFCC, he explained that the unit achieved its milestones due to the institutional backing and enforcement given to it by the EFCC.

According to him, the EFCC used the NFIU in putting Nigeria back on the global financial map.

He said: “What we did with the NFIU was to bring Nigeria at par with the rest of the world in terms of financial regulations and tracing of suspicious deals.”

The ex-EFCC boss said former Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili, was the first to draw attention to Nigeria’s negative rating by the Egmont group, and what was needed to address it.

He disclosed that the EFCC engaged the Financial Action Task Force and made efforts to comply with the requirements, including instituting the NFIU.