The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) Monday said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered over N248 billion, $105 million, and 753 duplexes in its asset recovery efforts in the outgoing year.
Director Legal Services ONSA Mr. Zakari Mijinyawa announced this at the Strategic Communications Inter-Agency Policy Committee meeting in Abuja.
Besides, he said the anti-graft body secured an impressive 3,455 convictions under the same period.co
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He also spoke on the success of a joint military operation, coordinated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, which, according to him, resulted in the rescue of 36 abducted farmers on December 8, 2024.
The operation, which he said included collaboration with vigilantes, was part of ongoing efforts at combating insecurity in various parts of the country.
On oil theft, he said the military prevented the theft of oil valued at over N57.05 billion, and assured that the military would not relent in its efforts to secure the nation’s oil resources, especially, with emphasis on illegal refinery sites and oil bunkering activities.
He said: “The EFCC’s work in 2024 has been marked by key legal and operational reforms, including the creation of new departments such as Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) and the restructuring of zonal offices. The EFCC also launched the EFCC 97.3FM radio station to further its public education efforts. Notably, four former governors, three ex-ministers, and a former Central Bank governor are currently facing trial for money laundering and other financial crimes.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) also made notable strides, recovering N29.685 billion in cash and $966,900 in assets. The ICPC tracked 1,500 constituency and executive projects nationwide and processed 851 petitions, leading to 35 convictions through its special task force against naira abuse. Additionally, the commission participated in high-level anti-corruption events, including Nigeria’s re-election to the GlobE Network Steering Committee.”
Speaking on military operations and efforts of the police at ensuring internal security, Mijinyawa said “the Armed Forces of Nigeria achieved significant results in 2024, including the neutralization of 8,034 terrorists and the rescue of 6,376 hostages. The military also seized 8,216 weapons and over 211,000 rounds of ammunition. Operation Delta Sanity, launched by the Nigerian Navy in January 2024, successfully targeted crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, seizing multiple illegal refinery sites and recovering stolen crude oil.
“The Nigeria Police Force demonstrated its commitment to tackling crime, arresting over 30,000 suspects and rescuing 1,581 kidnapped victims. Noteworthy operations included the rescue of 89 victims from armed bandits in Kaduna State and the foiling of a kidnapping attempt in Delta State. In Kebbi State, 36 abducted farmers were freed in a joint operation with the military and vigilantes.”
…NDLEA, NCoS, NCS, NIS
The ONSA also announced the breakthroughs by the para-military agencies during the period under review.
He said: “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made significant progress in combating drug trafficking, arresting 14,480 individuals and seizing 2.37 million kilograms of illicit drugs. Through its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, the NDLEA sensitized over 1.3 million people across 3,064 activities, while providing treatment and rehabilitation for 6,655 individuals.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) successfully managed the safe custody of over 80,000 inmates and provided vocational training for 30,000 inmates. The service also supervised 50,000 offenders on non-custodial measures. The NCoS launched several initiatives to support rehabilitation, including a new studio and starter packages for ex-offenders.
“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) exceeded its revenue target, collecting N5.49 trillion in 2024, and seized a range of illicit goods, including arms, ammunition, and stolen petrol. The NCS also introduced several new initiatives to improve trade facilitation and enforcement.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) made significant progress in infrastructure development and policy implementation, including the completion of the Technology Complex for border monitoring. The NIS also launched the Complete Automated Passport Acquisition System (CAPAS) and the New Visa Policy 2024.
“Finally, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) successfully distributed 42,000 metric tons of food to vulnerable populations and launched a Resettlement Scheme for Conflict-Affected Persons in seven states. NEMA also responded to flooding in states like Maiduguri, Jigawa, and Kogi, providing relief items and improving disaster preparedness through nationwide hazard risk analysis in partnership with UNICEF.
“These achievements reflect the collective efforts of Nigeria’s security and regulatory agencies in combating crime, improving governance, and ensuring national security in 2024.”
…. Arrest of 792 suspects
In a related development, the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that the Commission, in a landmark raid, arrested 792 suspects for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scam.
The suspects were apprehended Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in a surprise operation at their hideout, an imposing seven-storey edifice known as Big Leaf Building, on No.7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, following verifiable intelligence received by the Commission.
A statement by EFCC head of media and publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, quoted the EFCC chair as speaking at the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Commission Monday.
Olukoyede stated that 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani and one Indonesian were arrested during the operation.
The EFCC boss, who spoke though the agency’s director of public affairs, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, further stated that the foreign nationals used the facility, which could be mistaken for a corporate headquarters of a financial establishment, to train their Nigerian accomplices on how to initiate romance and investment scams and also used the identities of their Nigerian accomplices to perpetrate their criminal activities.
“All the floors are equipped with high-end desktop computers. On the 5th floor alone, investigators recovered 500 SIM cards of local telcos that were bought for criminal purposes.
“Their Nigerian accomplices were recruited by the foreign kingpins to prospect for victims online through phishing, targeting mostly Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and several others from European countries.
“They usually arm them with desktop computers and mobile devices and create fake profiles for them.
The Nigerian accomplices are equally provided with logs that allow them access to foreign communication lines and victims, which they chat with on WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram,” Uwujaren said.
While giving further details about the modus operandi of the syndicate, the EFCC chair said the Nigerian accomplices, who are assigned WhatsApp accounts linked to foreign telephone numbers, especially from Germany and Italy, engage victims in romantic conversations as well as phantom business and investment discussions to trick them to shop on the purported online investment shopping platform called www.yooto.com.
He added: “For those who show interest, activation fees for an account on the platform starts from $35USD. Investigation revealed that the criterion for recruiting these young Nigerians is proficiency in the use of computers, especially typing skill. Those who passed the test are given desktop computers and mobile devices and then taken through a two-week induction on how to personate foreign females in romance scam chats and convince victims to invest in their employers’ cryptocurrency investment scam.
“Once the Nigerians are able to win the confidence of would-be victims, the foreigners would take over the actual task of defrauding the victims and proceed to block their Nigerian accomplices from the network. This would then leave them in the dark about the transaction.”
He, however, said the Nigerians involved in the alleged fraudulent activities “do not know the owners of the ‘company’ they work for because they are not offered letters of appointments or receive payment from a corporate account.”
According to him, the suspected Nigerian accomplices were usually paid either in cash or through an individual’s account.
Olukoyede said the Commission was working with its foregoing partners to establish the extent of the scam and the accomplices as well as the likelihood of any collaboration with organised international fraud cells.
The EFCC boss also used the occasion to debunk the notion that Nigerians were behind the tons of frauds emanating from the country.
“Foreigners are taking advantage of our nation’s unfortunate reputation as a haven of frauds to establish a foothold here to disguise their atrocious criminal enterprises. But, as this operation has shown, there will be no hiding places for criminals in Nigeria,” he said.
…Commission seeks media support
Also speaking during the occasion, the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Commission, Michael Wetkas, sought greater collaboration with the media in the fight against corruption and economic and financial crimes.
Items recovered from the suspects include desktop computers, mobile phones, laptop computers and cars at the point of arrest.
The suspects will be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
