EFCC recovers N1.6b, confiscates 5million litres of petroleum products

Anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it has recovered N1.6b (one point six billion naira) cash from fraudsters in the third quarter of 2018.

EFCC also disclosed that $678,000 (six hundred and seventy – eight thousand dollars) and over £5,000 (five thousand pounds) from suspects.

South South Zonal Director of EFCC, Nnaghe Obono-Itam made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the achievements of the Commission in the third quarter of the this year.

Itam said the Commission also secured sixteen convictions in two hundred and twenty one cases during the same quarter.

He also said over five million litres of seized adulterated petroleum products have been confiscatded by the EFCC taken from two hundred and eighty-three trucks, seventy vessels and nine badges within the zone.

The Zonal Director of EFCC, Nnaghe Obono-Itam further said it smashed an online syndicate involved in leaking WAEC, NECO and JAMB questions and answers.

He commended the Nigerian army for their cooperation, just as he appealed to members of the public to offer credible information that can help the EFCC.

According to him, “Between 2nd and 3rd quarter of this year, we have done recoveries of N1, 592, 568, 524.38, made up of N466, 486, 038.68 and N1, 126, 082, 485.07 as money held in account. Out of that we have N1, 000, 036, 448.06 on interim forfeiture with the federal government.

“We also have a total recovery of $678, 354.80, cash of $402, 425.89 and we have $275, 928.91 in account of Post No Deposit (PND) as well. We have 5, 254.20 Euros with 5, 225Euros as cash and 29.20Euros in account of PND.

“Over 221 cases have been forwarded to legal for advice, with 44 cases charged to court and 16 convictions achieved through the three quarters of this year.

“We had in the second quarter received a complaint about a syndicate that uses online medium to sell fake results for WAEC, NECO and the rest. I am glad to say that we have been able to break that syndicate.

“I think I will want to commend the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt. With the period we have received a total of 283 trucks/vehicles arrested for loading illegally refined petroleum product to the commission or further investigation between January to September 2013. The trucks were arrested at different locations within Port Harcourt.

“Laboratory result of analysis from DPR indicate that 121 of the trucks were carrying adulterated AGO, 39 of the trucks were loaded with High Pour Fuel Oil (HPFO) and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO). Also DPR result indicate that 31 of the trucks were loaded with waste/lube oil, 4 of the trucks loaded with crude oil, 24 trucks loaded with genuine products (AGO, PMS and DPK), 31 empty trucks and eight trucks loaded with fertilizers, animal feeds, spaghetti and polythene chemicals.”