The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, handed over €5,100 to the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Sell, on Friday.
The money was the proceeds of a romance scam recovered from a Nigerian fraudster for a Spanish victim, Heinz Uchtmann, through a joint operation between the EFCC and the Spanish Police.
In a statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, Olukoyede highlighted the global nature of financial crimes, stressing the need for countries to work together in the fight against these crimes.
“It has become very imperative for us to understand that financial crimes have become a borderless crime. Sometimes, you will discover that they operate from a different country, get their victims in another country, and the proceeds of crime go to a different country,” Olukoyede said.
He further reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to making Nigeria an unsafe place for fraudsters and corrupt individuals, emphasizing, “We are resolute to ensure that Nigeria is not made a safe haven for financial criminals and corrupt people. We do it to cleanse our system in collaboration with our partners across the world.”
Olukoyede noted that trust and cooperation between countries are essential in combating financial crimes globally. “In the interest of both countries, we must do what we have to do. There must be mutual trust, mutual support for us to ensure that we cleanse the global financial ecosystem from being destroyed,” he added.
In his response, Ambassador Juan Sell praised the collaboration between the EFCC and the Spanish Police. He said, “Many times, you work on processes and you will never see the result of your endeavours, but what has made this special is the fact that we have seen the results of the efforts of the collaboration of two countries that are friends for the benefit of the citizens.”
Sell expressed his joy at the success of the operation, calling it a “joyful moment” for all those involved in the investigation and recovery process.
