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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested three more suspects, whose names appeared on the FBI’s list for various financial crimes.
        Speaking to reporters in Abuja yesterday, the Abuja zonal head of the EFCC, Aminu Aliyu explained that the suspects, Chika Augustine and Godspower Nwachukwu were arrested by the operatives from the EFCC headquarters sometimes in June and July, while the third suspect, whose name was not given for security reasons, was arrested in 2018. He explained that the third unnamed suspect was to be arraigned before a court but since the courts are on recess, there has been delay in the case. Aliyu also explained that $35,000 was recovered from Chika Augustine, while investigation and debriefing is still ongoing. According to him, “prior to the release of the FBI list, we had in collaboration with the FBI, cases under investigation of which two suspects indicted in the list released by the FBI are in our custody. On the other hand, another suspect on the list is being investigated independently on a different case and his corruption has done a lot of harm to the society. Speaking further on their achievements, Aliyu said,  “Under my leadership, the zone has stayed focused on the Commission’s vision and goal to ensure that we fight corruption to the end. In line with that and in accordance with the Ag. chairman’s mission, the zone has strategized plans aimed at preventing, investigating and prosecuting financial and economic crimes. I make bold to say that this has yielded fruitful results. From January 2019 till date, our relentless anti-corruption stance saw us secure 33 convictions.  We currently carry out collaborative operations with other zones and it has resulted to about 293 arrests and over 465 cases are currently under investigations. Of these arrests and investigations,  90 arrests were made mostly through intelligence gathering, 21 convictions were secured by the Cyber Crime Unit and 110 cases are still under  investigation. We have also been able to recover a large number of exotic cars and properties suspected to have been acquired through the proceeds of crime. Devices used by the suspects have been confiscated and the proceeds from these cybercrimes will be forfeited after convictions have been secured.”