146 Foreigners Convicted For Financial Crimes, Says EFCC Chairman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 146, out of 194 foreigners arrested for cybersecurity attacks relating to financial crimes.

Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede disclosed this on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of International Cybersecurity Conference organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Commission had last year arrested 194 foreigners over their involvement in various forms of financial crimes and activities that were inimical to the economic growth and development of the country.

According to Olukoyede, “I can tell you that we have succeeded in the prosecution and conviction of 146 of them. They will serve their jail terms and will be repatriated to their respective countries.

“Most of these foreigners posed as Nigerians with stolen identities to defraud unsuspecting individuals and institutions in the country, while Nigerians are being accused wrongly for such crimes.”

He maintained that the convicted 146 foreigners would serve their jail terms before being repatriated to their respective country.

Olukoyede commended the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI), Interpol and other international security institutions for their support in ensuring successful prosecution of the cyber criminals.

He added, “We will soon launch a Cybersecurity Centre in our facility with the capability to detect and respond to Cybersecurity attacks within one hour. The cybersecurity attacks relating to financial crimes are becoming more organised across the world”.

Olukayode called on security institutions and agencies, as well as banks and regulatory bodies to collaborate to combat cybercrimes in the country.

He further disclosed that the anti-graft agency will soon inaugurate a 500-capacity Research Centre for reformation and rehabilitation of convicted cyber criminals.