ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's newly formed National Anti-Corruption Committee (NACC) disclosed Friday that the director general of the Ethiopian Financial Security Services (EFSS), Tewodros Bekele, has been arrested as part of an anti-corruption crackdown.
The EFSS is a government body that coordinates various institutions involved in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Speaking jointly to state media outlets on Friday, Gedion Timothewos, the Ethiopian Minister of Justice, and Temesgen Tiruneh, director general of the Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), said several other high-level government officials have also been arrested in the anti-corruption crackdown.
The suspects whose identities haven't been disclosed include officials from land administration and government housing management, security and justice institutions, the financial sector, as well as government revenue and customs offices.
The two officials also said extradition agreements have been made with various countries to hand over criminal suspects who have fled the country.
The NACC disclosed it has received more than 250 tip-offs in just one week since its establishment.
Last month, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the establishment of the NACC to coordinate the government's campaign against corruption. He said the current threat of corruption is affecting the country's socio-economic development and governance structure.
