The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, says it is working on strengthening state Institutions in Nigeria to combat organised crimes.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Halima Ahmed, made the fact known during a virtual programme to launch war against cybercrime and human trafficking.
Ahmed, said although the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the activities of ECOWAS, the commission had adjusted to the mode of operations to suit the current realities.
In her submission, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory, gave an assurance of the German Government towards supporting the ECOWAS region in the areas of capacity building for security agents to tackle organised crimes.
Radio Nigeria reported that European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ketil Karlsen, represented by the Head of Cooperation in the Commission, Mr. Kurt Cornelis, said the EU was ready to support sub-regional bodies to strengthen state institutions.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Fatima Jagne, said that the commission had trained over 100 personnel on drugs prevention professionals to tackle drug abuse.
The three programmes tagged, OCWAR C, M and T, aimed at supporting ECOWAS member states and Mauritania in reducing transnational organized crimes, were being funded by the European Union and some partners.
