Ahead of the Yuletide, the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has launched total war on Yahoo
Boys who specialise in defrauding unsuspecting foreigners on the internet,
Punch Metro reports.
The operation codenamed
‘Cyber Storm’, will involve EFCC operatives monitoring suspicious transactions
especially by youths who cannot explain their source of wealth.
The commission will also
deploy its agents in nightclubs and concerts where youths usually go to “pop”
expensive champagne.
The anti-graft agency will
also be monitoring social media accounts of suspected fraudsters who usually
show off their expensive cars and houses.
Confirming the development,
the Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Tony
Orilade, said, “The chairman, Ibrahim
Magu, has constituted a Special Task Force on Internet Fraud.
The task force, is made up
of personnel from ICT, Public Affairs, Operations and Special Control Unit
against Money Laundering.”
As part of the operation,
the EFCC has already arrested over 50 suspected online fraudsters in the last
10 days in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan.
An EFCC operative said, “We
have declared a total war on Yahoo boys who have done nothing but given Nigeria
a bad name home and abroad. We know their methods of operation. Be assured that
in the coming days we will make more arrests.
The suspects are; Marvin
Nwankwo, Prince Ojenike and Jude Olatekobowale. They allegedly created a
Facebook account with the following names: Rodney David; David Rodgers and
Carlos David, respectively.
The EFCC said in a
statement by its acting Spokesman, Mr. Tony Orilade, that arrest was based on
intelligence report that the suspects turned the said residence into their
office, using laptops, phone and other gadgets to defraud innocent people,
including foreigners, of their hard earned money and other valuables.
The statement added:
“The intelligence further
revealed that the suspects aged between 22 to 30 years, used the proceeds of
their crimes to acquire different properties such as cars which include a GLK
Mercedes Benz SUV, a Toyota Corolla, amongst others.
“On receipt of the
intelligence report, operatives of the EFCC swung into action and mounted
surveillance on the said address, to monitor the activities of the suspects.
“After thorough
investigations, the suspects were arrested and items, which included several
laptops of different makes, very expensive mobile phones, modems, many SIM
cards, amongst others were recovered.”
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