The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has handed over 53 recovered vehicles and $180,300 to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP on behalf of victims of financial crimes in Canada.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede handed over the recovered assets to representatives of RCMP at the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja.
The recovered vehicles were stolen from Canada and tracked to various car stands in Nigeria. Olukoyede added that nine of the vehicles were tracked to a customs port, where they were awaiting clearance.
According to him, $164,000 was recovered for a Canadian, Elena Bogomas, who was victim of a romance scam, while $16,300 was also recovered for another Canadian, Sandra Butler. The EFCC Chairman said one of the fraudsters used his proceeds to buy an estate and was later arrested, prosecuted and jailed, while the property was sold to recover the funds.
While the EFCC Chairman stressed that the operation was a demonstration of the fact that the Nigerian Government does not tolerate financial crimes, he added that it was also the Commission’s commitment to inter-agency cooperation in the country.
The Regional Canadian Mounted Police which was represented by its Regional Officer, Nasser Sadiou and the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Robert Aboumitiri after signing the documents for the transfer of the recovered assets, thanked the Nigerian Government and the EFCC for efforts in the fight against corruption. They commended the existing partnership between both countries and promised continuous cooperation.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
