EFCC recovers over 1.5bn in South-South, arrests fake certificate syndicate

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has announced that it recovered over cash of N1.5billion from people that are being investigated for alleged fraudulent practices with the South-South Zone.

The Commission also revealed that it smashed a syndicate specialising in defrauding the public with the issuing to its victims fake National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results through the online Media.

Briefing newsmen yesterday, in Port Harcourt, the EFCC South-South Zonal Director, Nnaghe Obono-Itam, said that the suspects were arrested from different areas of the zone, adding that during their investigation the said amount was recovered.

Obono-Itam also revealed that cash of $678, 354.80 and €5, 254.20 Euros were recovered from suspects who are already charged to court for legal action.

He said: “Between 2nd and 3rd quarter of this year, we have done recoveries of N1, 592, 568, 524.38, made up of N466, 486, 038.68 and N1, 126, 082, 485.07 as money held in account. Out of that, we have N1, 000, 036, 448.06 on interim forfeiture with the Federal Government.

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We also have a total recovery of $678, 354.80, cash of $402, 425.89 and we have $275, 928.91 in an account of Post No Deposit (PND) as well. We have €5, 254.20 Euros with 5, 225Euros as cash and 29.20Euros in account of PND.”

Obono-Itam who did not disclose the names of the suspects as they are already charged to court, said: “Over 221 cases have been forwarded to its legal department for advice, with 44 cases charged to court and 16 convictions achieved through the three quarters of this year.”

On the fake school results syndicate, he said: “We had in the second quarter received a complaint about a syndicate that uses online medium to sell fake results for WAEC, NECO and the rest. I am glad to say that we have been able to break that syndicate.”

The EFCC boss who commended the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt for their tactical efforts for arresting 283 trucks/vehicles for loading illegally refined petroleum products, said 15 vessels that are still ongoing investigation, nine barges and two wooden boats were received by the commission.

“I think I will want to commend the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt. Within the under review period we have received a total of 283 trucks/vehicles arrested for loading illegally refined petroleum product to the commission or further investigation between January to September 2013. The trucks were arrested at different locations within Port Harcourt.”

He stated that the “laboratory result of analysis from DPR indicate that 121 of the trucks were carrying adulterated AGO, 39 of the trucks were loaded with High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO). Also, DPR result indicates that 31 of the trucks were loaded with waste/lube oil, 4 of the trucks loaded with crude oil, 24 trucks loaded with genuine products (AGO, PMS and DPK), 31 empty trucks and eight trucks loaded with fertilizers, animal feeds, spaghetti and polythene chemicals.”

Also, that total quantity of products (AGO, PMS, DPK, Crude oil, HPFO, LPFO and waste/lube oil) estimated to be 56, 000, 000 litres were recovered from all the trucks/vehicles.

Obomo-Itam added that owners of the truck are not aware of the nefarious acts of the drivers, adding that some trucks owners have not reported claiming ownership of their trucks. He said 59 trucks and about 1, 180, 000 litres of products have been temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.