The Economic and Financial Offences Agency (EFCC) released Eagle Eye on Wednesday, a computer application designed to make reporting economic and financial crimes to the commission easier.
According to the chairman of the committee, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, the application was created to supplement current methods for reporting crimes.
Bawa, speaking at the Abuja inauguration, said the application’s distinctive feature was the lack of direct person-to-person communication in the reporting process, ensuring anonymity and providing “an added incentive for successful whistle blowing.”
“For us at the EFCC, this event is unique in several ways. It’s the first of its kind by any law enforcement agency in the country.
“Secondly, it’s the product of ingenuity by a staff of the commission, being an application that was initiated, designed and developed by the EFCC.
“Thirdly, it’s a clear demonstration of my pledge, on the assumption of office, to run an agency that’s technologically driven”, he said.
“The Eagle Eye presents a new experience, a new information-sharing tool between the public and the EFCC.
“With the App, those who are afraid of reporting cases of corruption to the commission, either for fear of being identified as a partner or having their identity reviewed, can now do so with the assurance of full secrecy.
“I, therefore, appeal to members of the public to take advantage of this application in bringing cases of corruption and economic crimes to the knowledge of the EFCC,” Bawa added.
According to him, Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike can use the Eagle Eye to capture photos of property suspected of being obtained fraudulently or corruptly and report it using the app.
“With the Eagle Eye, you have at your fingertips a device that will ultimately ensure that there is no hiding place for corrupt persons in Nigeria”, Bawa said.
Explaining how it works, the EFCC boss said: “it is a friendly application with features that can be navigated by any literate person.
“The first step is to download the App on one’s device, take pictures and upload pictures. There is a column requesting for the sender’s phone number and address, in a bid to discourage malicious reporting,” he added.
He did, however, urge the public to be aware of fraudulent accounts, claiming that there were numerous bogus EFCC accounts on the Internet.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
