EFCC decries rise of fake dollars, cybercrime in Benue

The EFCC has expressed concern about the recent increase in cybercrimes and fake currency in the Benue axis.

Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, the commission’s acting chairman, revealed this on Thursday in Makurdi and stated that steps had been made to rectify the issue.

The EFCC chairman delivered his remarks during a session on “Effective Reporting of Economic and Financial Crimes,” which was planned for 30 journalists from the nation’s top media outlets.

Chukkol was represented by Mr. Friday Ebelo, Head of the EFCC’s Makurdi Zonal Office.

According to him, the commission’s main goal is to eradicate all corruption from the nation, and it will continue to carry out its tasks in a competent and effective manner.

“Through the commission’s enforcement activities, recoveries running into several billions of naira have been recorded, and the country’s anti-money laundering framework strengthened.

“There is now a more robust regulation of the activities of these entities which are vulnerable to money laundering,” he added.

The EFCC chairman issued a warning against giving out bank account information to anyone in order to prevent its use in shady financial transactions.

“I will like the media to educate family members, friends, politicians and others that they run the risk of going to jail if they allow their companies or banks accounts to be used to launder proceeds of illegal activities.

“Under the Money Laundering Act, 2022 family members and close allies of politicians and public office holders, including top civil servants, are now classified as Politically Exposed Persons.

“The EFCC is determined to ensure that anyone who steals from public treasury and all those who assist them under whatever guise, are brought to justice, and ignorance of the law will not be an excuse,” he said.