The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced a significant achievement with a total of 65 court convictions of fraudsters in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States from January to December 15.
By Lot Sunday
Speaking at an end-of-year event organized by the commission, Mr. Aliyu Yunusa, the Sokoto Zonal Commander, shared the success story with the media on Friday in Sokoto State. Yunusa highlighted that the zonal command not only met, but also surpassed its target of 50 convictions, attributing the accomplishments to the dedication of staff and support from sister agencies, Community-based Organizations (CBOs), and individuals.
The convictions, Yunusa revealed, primarily involved cases of impersonation, the illicit use of National Identification Numbers (NIM), receipt of stolen funds, cloning of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards for third-party money withdrawal, and fraudulent activities through pretenses.
“The most important celebration is that we stopped various crimes, discovered numerous frauds, and recovered funds from fraudsters within the year,” said Yunusa, emphasizing the impact of the EFCC’s efforts in curbing financial crimes.
However, Yunusa also acknowledged the challenges faced by the zonal office, including manpower constraints and the need for staff training in specialized cybercrime investigation techniques. He noted the increasing sophistication of fraudsters who employ modern methods to deceive and defraud individuals.
“When incidents happen, we look at it with a forensic eye to block the loopholes and fast track investigations, thereby more sophistication is needed,” the commander added, emphasizing the continuous commitment of the EFCC in adapting to the evolving landscape of financial crimes.
