The Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said on Tuesday that it had arrested over 60 Internet fraudsters and secured 37 convictions since its inception in the state. The Zonal Head of the commission, Mr Garba Dugum, said this in Uyo while briefing newsmen on the collaboration between the EFCC and the United States of America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation in the fight against cyber crimes.
Dugum, who was represented by the deputy zonal head, Alex Ebbah, said his office upon receiving the directives of the acting Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, launched an independent raid against the fraudsters, culminating in various strategic raids and onslaught against their hideouts. He stated, “In furtherance to the acting chairman’s directive to all the zones, we have 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 regards have recorded tremendous success, which resulted in over 60 arrests, 37 convictions and recovery of a number of exotic cars and properties suspected to have been acquired from the proceeds of the crimes.” Dugum said the commission had gone beyond arrest, investigation and prosecution and conviction of internet fraudsters to the prevention of the act by embarking on sensitisation programmes to educate the youth on the implications and the need to stay away from the crime.
He lauded the collaboration with the FBI and other international law enforcement agencies in the fight against Internet fraudsters, adding that his office had so far received about 20 different cases of Internet fraud reported directly by the FBI through the United States Department of Justice. He also mentioned the cases received through the Mutual Legal Assistance by other international law enforcement agencies to include five from the Hong Kong Police, five from the Danish and Norwegian police, and four from the Israeli police.
Others are three from the Austria police, one from the Swedish police, one from the Zambian police and another from the Bulgarian police. He said the investigation of the cases had resulted in seven arrests involving a huge sum of money in foreign currencies, which the fraudsters had defrauded their victims.
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