Richard Ginika Izuora
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, said its Ibadan Zonal Office at the weekend arrested 89 suspected internet fraudsters at the popular ‘Club 360,’located on Akala Expressway, Oluyole Extension, in Ibadan, Oyo state.
EFCC, spokesman Tony Orilad in a statement disclosed that in preparation for the late-night operation officers of the Commission had carried out a series of discreet surveillance on the nature of activities going on in the nightclub. This established that it was a hangout for fraudsters.
Further, he disclosed that aside from the 89 arrested suspects; the raid led to the confiscation of scores of vehicles, laptops, sophisticated phones and other items. Additionally, he revealed that the arrested suspects are undergoing further interrogation.
In another investigation, the Sokoto Zonal office of the EFCC, on Wednesday; embarked on monitoring and evaluation of abandoned projects across the Zone.
Indeed, the monitoring and inspection visit was sequel to a petition by concerned citizens of the zone; who alleged that there are various projects across the zone abandoned by contractors.
Thereafter, the Zonal Head, Mr Abdullahi Lawal, led a team of operatives on a tour of the abandoned projects. He expressed deep disappointment on how meaningful projects in Kebbi State were abandoned by subsequent governments and their agencies.
He explained that the Commission discovered that lots of fraud were perpetrated during contracts awarded to some contractors; and in some cases were paid huge amounts of money by various governments; to execute the contracts but were abandoned without completion by the contractors.
According to him, monitoring of projects by every interest group; civil society groups and individuals would help in eradicating abandoned project scams by the contractors and governments; and urged the public to furnish the Commission with such information on abandoned projects.
Lawal noted that corruption of abandoned projects is widespread and institutionalised; adding that it is beyond what any single group can fight against and tasked the public to take ownership of the war against corruption; to check practices that run counter to accountability and transparency.