N974m, $729,653 ‘recovered’ in Abuja, Kano since January – EFCC

The anti-graft agency, EFCC, has said an estimated N974 million, $729,653, and €2330 have been recovered since January in Abuja and Kano in its fight against corruption.

This was disclosed in two separate statements signed by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday and Tuesday.

The commission also said it is focusing on cybercrime through intelligence gathering and collaboration with other agencies across the world.

The EFCC had earlier announced in August that it is currently working on over 80 cases of cybercrime in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation against Internet fraudsters in the country

”The Abuja Zonal Office of the EFCC has N423, 006,987.92; $39,253; €2330 between January and August 2019. While the Kano Zonal Office $690,400; N550,692,362, since January 2019 and August,” it said.

“Prior to the release of the FBI list, we had in collaboration with the FBI, cases under investigation of which two suspects indicted in the list released by the FBI are in our custody.

”On the other hand, another suspect on the list is being investigated independently on a different case and his case is pending arraignment.”

The EFCC urged Nigerians to avoid giving out information about their bank accounts and other personal details to strangers.

It also called on the Bureau de Change operators not to allow themselves to be used as conduit pipes for money laundering.

It warned that these scams are mostly perpetrated at weekends “when the fraudsters know that it will be difficult for victims to contact their banks”.

Meanwhile, the agency also said it has secured about 33 convictions in Kano, since January till date; “293 arrests have made and over 465 cases are currently under investigation,” it said.