EFCC: Makurdi zonal command secures 107 convictions in 5 years 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday disclosed that at least 107 persons involved in financial crimes have been convicted by the Makurdi zone in the last five years.

The Commission also disclosed that 3,785 were convicted across the country in 2022.

The disclosure was made in a workshop organised by the Commission in a one day workshop on “Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes” for journalists in Makurdi the Benue state capital.

Speakers at the workshop, included Ramaiah Ikhonaede from the Commission’s Legal Department, Dele Oyewale from Corporate Communication and Philip Stephanie Head of AFF all agreed that the Commission has lived up to its responsibility in the face of increasing financial crimes. 

They said within six months, banks lost about N12.2 billion in 2023 to online fraud alone, according to Interswitch.

According to them, POS fraud as reported by NDIC, consumed at least N911 billion.

Mrs Philip F. Stephanie particularly listed challenges which led to youths to financial crimes, especially cyber crimes despite measures, including unstable economy, high inflation rate, culture of materialism, justification for fraud-sympathy for fraudsters, support groups among others.

Earlier, Acting Executive Chairman of EFCC Abdulkarim Chukkol said the workshop was the ninth in the series by the Commission this year and the decision to engage journalists in a training session was buoyed by the appreciation of the fact that they occupy a strategic place in the fight against corruption.

“You are the vehicle through which the EFCC reaches the Nigerian public with information about our operations.

“You also play crucial roles in helping to mobilize the people to embrace the fight against corruption. This makes the media one of the most critical allies of the EFCC.

“I therefore urge the media to continue to align itself with the progressive aspirations of Nigerians, to see that corruption is reduced to the barest minimum, if not completely eliminated,” he added.