Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission recovered at least N231.6 billion and sent no fewer than 3175 criminals to prison within the first year of its operations under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The revelation is contained in the current edition of EFCC Alert, a publication of the anti-graft agency, made available to Vanguard on Wednesday in Abuja.

In one year of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, secures 3175 convictions and recovers N231.6billion.

Giving a breaking down the recoveries, the agency said the amount was made up of $70,260,544.18, £29, 264.50, €208,297.10, ₹51,360.00, C$3,950.00, A$740.00, ¥74,754.00, R35,000.00, 42,390.00 UAE Dirhams and 247.00 Riyals.

The Secretary to the Commission, Mohammed Hammajoda, is said to have unveiled the figure at an event with some Nigerian students on behalf of the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede.

Hammajoda, at the event however lamented that though the EFCC put up an impressive performance within the year the commission was deeply concerned about the involvement of youths in internet fraud.

The top EFCC official noted that the involvement of youths in the crime had continued to pose serious concerns to every stakeholder in the anti-graft war and asked them to repent and steer clear of crimes.

He noted, “In spite of this commendable performance, the commission is deeply worried about the increasing involvement of young people, including students, in cybercrime, popularly called yahoo yahoo.”

But he warned that the EFCC will not relent in ensuring that it continues with its efforts to sweep out perpetrators of such fraud from the streets.
Hammajoda said it was also saddening that on a daily to monthly basis, hundreds of youths being arrested, with many of them ending up in jail.

He noted, “There is no justification that will make yahoo-yahoo acceptable. There is no justification for cybercrime anywhere.”

He used the medium to call on Nigerian students to stay away from internet fraud, stressing that conviction for fraud “is a burden that will leave a life-long scar on, adding, “Contrary to the impression in some quarters, being a fraudster is not synonymous with creativity or being smart.

“As students, you are expected to channel your creative energies into useful engagements and not get entangled in cheating others of their resources.”