A collaboration between the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI), has
led to the recovery of $314,000 and about N373,000,000.00 from perpetrators of cyber
fraud.
This information was made known yesterday by the
acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. In statement made available to New
Telegraph, Magu disclosed that while the sum of $314,000 had been recovered, the
sum of N373m had been traced to various commercial banks by the Lagos Zonal
office of the Commission.
He also disclosed that the recent joint operations
coordinated by the Commission had yielded 28 arrests. He added that 14 suspects
had been charged and convicted.
The EFCC Chairman further stated: “Nine of the
suspects are currently undergoing trial, while five are still under
investigations. Over 80 cases are still under investigation from the EFCC-FBI
joint operations.”
Speaking through Mohammed Rabo, Lagos Zonal Head of
the EFCC at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, Magu added that
the Lagos zone of the Commission, prior to the collaborative efforts with the
FBI, had independently launched a sustained operation on perpetrators of
various computer-related frauds.
He said:
“From 2018 to date, the EFCC had launched a sustained operation on
perpetrators of various computer-related frauds, which resulted in over 200
arrests, 130 convictions and recovery of a large number of exotic cars and
properties suspected to have been acquired through the proceeds of crime. We
had independently launched intensive investigative actions against the infamous
Yahoo yahoo boys culminating in various strategic raids and onslaught on their
hideouts. Our efforts in this regard have recorded tremendous successes leading
to a number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions.”
Magu also called on the media to continue to lend
its voice to the fight against corruption and economic and financial crimes. He
said: “No one has the monopoly of knowledge of how the fight should be fought
and won. All the critical stakeholders, particularly the media, must continue
to collaborate and cooperate with us to make the fight a success. I urge you to
continue to help us sensitize, mobilize and educate all the critical
stakeholders to continue to support the fight against economic and financial
crimes. We must collectively strive to
achieve the Nigeria of our dream. It is very critical for you to understand
that you owe the youth that social responsibility of awakening their
consciousness to the importance of a noble life devoid of crimes.”
He also reiterated that the Commission would leave
no stone unturned towards stamping out corruption and economic and financial
crimes from our society.
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