A German victim of Advanced Fee Fraud popularly referred to as 419 in Nigeria, on Wednesday, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that her recovered sum of €3,000 is returned to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The victim, Petra Goseffeinor, in an interview with journalists, alleged suppression and delay of justice by the EFCC after being duped by a Nigerian to the whopping sum of €130,000.
She said her ordeal began in 2018 when she had an encounter with the fraudster on the internet.
Goseffeinor revealed that for over three years, the matter was reported to the anti-graft agency and subsequently charged to Federal High Court in Abuja with suit No: FHC/ABU/ CR/106/2023, wondering why the EFCC had technically delayed the matter.
Goseffeinor said, “I made a report to EFCC in March 2021. But in October 2021 the guy was arrested for the first time by EFCC after I kept them under pressure. And after he paid bail, he came out of jail and nothing happened until I kept EFCC officials under pressure in April 2023.”
She revealed further, “the accused was arrested again. I was thereafter invited for the statement in October 2023.”
“While trying to press further for justice, in the face of alleged judicial suppression and victimisation, I had to come to Nigeria to give physical witness in the case twice, yet the Abuja EFCC are not taking the case seriously,” she claimed.
She added that she has been having sleepless nights for many months now and expressed fear that the agency may have been compromised.
She explained that since the victim returned part of the money defrauded her to the agency, the officials refused to give her or disclose how much so far has been returned by the suspect.
“I would like to ask the question, why is it taking so long for the confiscated money from the perpetrator to be held by the EFCC until it goes out to the victims. I would also like to ask the question why court dates are constantly being postponed, thereby further subjecting victims to psychological torture.
“EFCC promised me they would give me the first money they confiscated. We made an application almost six months ago. But nothing has happened until now. I want a verdict and my money back,” Goseffeinor declared.
