DAILY POST
President Bola Tinubu on Friday, met with FBI Director, Christopher Wray, at the State House in Abuja.
During their conversation, Tinubu called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the FBI in the fight against cybercrime, and terrorism.
The president also said the presence of Wray alongside his team in Nigeria, was a recognition of the enduring partnership between Nigeria and the US.
“It is an honour for me to receive Director Christopher Wray, the leader of an organisation that has demonstrated consistent procedural sophistication and a reputation for excellence over several years.
“Your visit conveys the importance of Nigeria and Nigerian partnership in the work of America’s law enforcement institutions and vice versa. For us, it is a recognition of what stage we are at, who we are, and the level of interest both countries share in eliminating crimes locally and globally,” Tinubu said.
Security chiefs who attended the meeting include the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi; the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd); and the Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye.
During his visit to Abuja, Nigeria, Director Wray met with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu, and other senior law enforcement and security officials to discuss the FBI’s partnership with Nigeria to combat terrorism, violent crime, and cybercrime.
Director Wray expressed appreciation to Nigerian President Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for Nigeria’s commitment to collaborating with the FBI to confront transnational criminal and terrorist threats. He discussed the FBI’s work with the Nigerian National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) and ONSA to support counterterrorism investigations, an initiative closely aligned with both nations’ security priorities.
Director Wray also met with the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and commended the EFCC’s close cooperation with the FBI to combat cyber-enabled crimes and sextortion schemes emanating from Nigeria. He discussed opportunities for the FBI to provide additional training and resources to expand the EFCC’s capacity to investigate cyber threats.
Additionally, Director Wray addressed the concerning issue of kidnappings for ransom in Nigeria. He noted that the FBI’s International Violent Crimes Unit is engaging with Nigerian law enforcement to provide investigative assistance and training to help combat this threat.
Throughout his engagements in Africa, Director Wray underscored the robust relationship between the FBI and our law enforcement partners in Kenya and Nigeria. He thanked the U.S. Mission in both countries for their close collaboration with the FBI’s legal attaché offices to advance shared security objectives.
The FBI collaborates with international law enforcement through a network of legal attaché offices worldwide, including in Nairobi, Kenya, and Abuja, Nigeria. Joint investigations, information sharing, and capacity-building with global partners are key to the FBI’s mission to protect the American people and uphold the rule of law.
