The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said on Wednesday that it recently secured the conviction of a security staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission, who was sentenced to seven years imprisonment after being arraigned.
Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Usman Imam, disclosed this when the leadership of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists led by Mr. Stanley Ike Stanley, visited his office in Port Harcourt.
Though he did not give the name of the convict, Imam explained that the NDDC employee was sentenced for his involvement in a N4 million contract scam, while one Tonwerugha Tombrown bagged 66 years in prison for swindling a foreigner to the tune of 55,000 euro through an online money rip-off.
The EFCC zonal head said he was able to secure the two convictions and eight others within the past two months he took charge of the Port Harcourt zone of the anti-graft agency.
“The zone in the last two months recorded 10 convictions, including a security staff of the NDDC, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for N4m contract scam, and one Tonwerigha Tombrown who bagged 66 years for defrauding a foreigner 55,000 Euro in online money fraud.”
Further highlighting some of the milestones recorded within the past 60 days he has been in charge, Imam said,
“We arrested have 32 suspected internet fraudsters. Those arrested included one Onwuzuruike Kingsley Ikenna, a big player in cybercrime, whose forte is business email compromise. The cases are still being investigated.
“Two vessels; MT Preye and MV Gratitude, a barge and a truck arrested by the military for alleged illegal bunkering activities were handed over to the Commission for further investigation.
“Also handed over are 17 crew members and two other persons, including the chairman of the local branch of independent oil marketers in Warri, Delta State. These investigations are ongoing.
“We also stepped up engagement with partners by organising a capacity building workshop on evidence handling for officers of 6 Division Nigeria Army. Forty-five officers drawn from various brigades in the Division participated in the workshop, the first by any zonal office of the Commission,” he said.
Calling on media practitioners to join forces with the EFCC to fight corruption, Imam said,
“We need the support of the media to deepen the fight against corruption and economic crime in our country, bearing in mind that no individual has a monopoly of ideas on how to tackle this all important assignment.”
Earlier, the State NUJ Chairman, Mr. Stanley Ike Stanley, commended the strides of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
According to Stanley, the EFCC has, to a considerable degree, checked the impunity with which public resources are stolen in Nigeria.
“Though we cannot say corruption has been eradicated in Nigeria, the society has been sanitised to some extent as people no longer loot with impunity because the fear of the EFCC is the beginning of wisdom,” he said.
Stanley, however, charged the Commission not to relent in the recovery of stolen funds, but to pay attention to how such funds are deployed to prevent what he tagged ‘public suspicion on the re-looting of recovered funds.’
The NUJ Chairman pledged the union’s support to the EFCC.
“We will continue to do our best to support the EFCC. Our doors are open for partnership in the fight against corruption,” he said.
