The Abuja zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, said it has recovered N1, 541, 801, 872 in the past one year.
From the amount, the zonal office stated that the sum of nine hundred and forty million, five hundred and forty six thousand, and ninety eight naira was recovered for the Federal Government.
The EFCC also said it recovered three hundred and fifteen million, eight hundred and twenty five thousand, and four hundred and thirty one naira for individuals, while the sum of two hundred and eighty five million, four hundred and thirty thousand, and three hundred and forty three naira was recovered for corporate organisations.
Head of the Abuja zonal office of the EFCC, Aminu Ado Aliyu, while briefing journalists in Abuja, said as entrenched in its culture, officers of the zone demonstrated high level of professionalism and integrity in dispensing their duties to the public.
Aliyu also said the development could be measured by the results the commission has achieved so far.
He said within the year under review, the Abuja zonal office received a total number of 704 petitions.
Out of the petitions, Aliyu added, 314 arrests were made based on intelligence and merit of the cases, even as he said some have been thrown out for lack of merit, while others have been transferred to other zones.
“In the same period, we have charged 67 cases to court and secured 43 convictions. You are all aware that courts were also affected during this lockdown.
“However, despite this and partial easing of same, ladies and gentlemen, we at the zone are still pushing to get justice as we have been attending our court sessions as and when they sit.
“In terms of recoveries, we have a total of one billion, five hundred and forty one million, eight hundred and one thousand, eight hundred and seventy two naira only and it is broken down as follows. For individuals, we have recovered three hundred and fifteen million, eight hundred and twenty five thousand, and four hundred and thirty one naira only.
“For corporate organizations, we have recovered two hundred and eighty five million, four hundred and thirty thousand, and three hundred and forty three naira only, while we have recovered nine hundred and forty million, five hundred and forty six thousand, and ninety eight naira only for the federal government,” Aliyu said.
He further said part of the zonal office’s recoveries in foreign currency was ten thousand, three hundred and eighty six dollars and seven hundred and thirty thousand, five hundred pounds sterling only.
“Our collaboration with the FBI in some investigations has yielded three arrests in cybercrime offences. We have also intensified our efforts in stemming the rising tide of cybercrimes in the country and have made several arrests and seized their laptops, phones and other gadgets used to perpetrate the offence.
“Some proceeds of these crimes in form of vehicles and properties have been forfeited to the federal government while others are still under investigation,” Aliyu added.
