Financial crimes: EFCC arrests 280 in Kano

The Kano Zonal of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) has arrested 280 suspects of various crimes in Kano between January and August this year, the zonal head of the commission, Mr Akaninyene Ezima has said.

Briefing newsmen in Kano Monday,  Ezima said the suspects were arrested for crimes bordering on cybercrimes, money laundering and other forms of crimes such as black money, wash-wash, foxy scheme and mmm among others.

He said the commission had recovered a sum of N550m and $690,000 dollars during the period under review adding that the $690,000 was recovered at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The anti-corruption zonal head added that the commission is currently pursuing fifty one cases of various offences in courts under the zone, while investigation into several cases had attained different stages of completion.

He called on the management of banks operating in the states under the zone to improve their response system in order to protect their customers from being duped by fraudsters.

“The commission has observed that such crimes are taking place during weekend  when banks are not operating, so by improving the response system of the banks, the banks can avert any attempt by such criminals to steal from someone’s account,” he said.

He said the commission on its part had embarked on rigorous sensitisation campaign with a view to discouraging members of the public on how to protect themselves from falling victims of mmm, wash-wash and foxy scheme among others forms of crimes.

He said, “We have held programmes in two television stations and a radio station in Katsina state where we sensitised the public on how these fraudsters operate and discouraged them not to engage in such activities.

“The commission will soon organise similar programmes in other states in the zone. I therefore, appeal to members of the public to always avail the commission with useful information that will help it curtail all corrupt related crimes in the zone.”

He assured that the commission would treat such information with maximum secrecy in order to protect the informant.

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