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With law enforcements still tracing the 80 Nigerians recently named in an FBI crackdown on cyberfrauders, the Ibadan zonal office of the Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested a similar cyberfraud network leader in Ekiti State.
The suspect, identified as Ajayi Gbenga Festus, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti following an alleged illicit transaction through his Nigerian bank amounting to N223 million.
The head of the Ibadan zonal office of EFCC, Mr. Friday Ebelo, who addressed journalists in Ibadan on Friday, explained that Ajayi “works with other cybercriminals abroad in a highly sophisticated web of conspiracy designed to illegally access accounts of individuals and organizations to defraud them of their money.”
“We were able to establish a number of illicit transactions through his Nigerian bank account amounting to over N223 million. Ajayi serves as conduit pipe through which proceeds of crimes reach members of the syndicate. His cuts in the deals total over N75 million. The suspect is still helping the commission in its further investigations. He surely will have his days in court as soon as investigations are concluded and the matter is ripe for prosecution,” the EFCC boss said.
He said the suspect will be revealed after he had finished providing the anti-graft agency with more information about his crime network which may eventually throw more light at the FBI cases.
Ebelo disclosed that the EFCC was in constant collaboration with the FBI and other international anti-fraud organisations, in efforts to curb internet crimes and illicit funds transfer.
“Our longstanding collaborative engagement with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies remains intact and yielding mutual benefits” he said.
He also diclosed that this year alone, EFCC Ibadan zone which covers the South West except Lagos, has arrested a total of 263 suspects for cybercrime related offences, out of which 111 have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms.
He also said the zone has receovered huge sums of money in local and foreign currencies as well as landed properties, vehicles, laptops, phones and many others.