ECOWAS to strengthen institutions to combat organised crimes

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working on strengthening states institutions to combat human right abuses and organised crimes in the sub-region.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Halima Ahmed said at the virtual launch of a programme tagged, ”Organised Crime, the West African Response to Cybercrime, Money Laundering and Trafficking”, on Friday in Abuja.

Ahmed said although COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the operations of the ECOWAS, it has adjusted to the mode of operations to suit the current realities.

In her submission, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory, assured of Germans Government commitment toward supporting the ECOWAS region in capacity building for security agents to tackle organised crimes.

On her part, Ketil Karlsen, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, who was represented by the Head of Cooperation in the commission Mr Kurt Cornelis said the EU was willing to assist the sub-regional body through community support and strengthening states institutions.

Similarly, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr Siga Jagne said the commission has trained over 100 core drugs prevention professionals to tackle drug abuse.

Jagne noted that report from partners had indicated that criminal groups have tendency to recruit more people due to impact of COVID-19 on the sub-region.

According to her, the development is worrisome to the sub-region.

Supreme reports that the three programmes tagged, OCWAR C,M and T aimed at supporting ECOWAS member states and Mauritania in reducing transnational organised crimes are being funded by the EU and some partners.