In a bid to tackle the menace of internet fraud across the country, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has called for a broad-based collaboration and synergy between the Commission and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).
Olukoyede made the call on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, when the Executive Vice Chairman, (EVC) of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, paid him a courtesy visit at the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.
The Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale who disclosed the collaboration in a statement said, Olukoyede pointed out that fraudsters are employing the internet as a gateway to perpetrate their criminalities and charged the NCC to be firmer in its regulatory works.
“When enforces of the law and regulators collaborate, it will not be business as usual. There is a need for collaboration because crimes are technology-driven”, he said.
EFCC boss said, the collaboration of the two Commissions signaled greater readiness to confront the menace of internet fraud and assured fraudsters that criminality would not be business as usual for them.
Olukoyede stressed that the challenges facing the country are surmountable and called for more commitment towards a corruption-free nation. He enjoined the NCC and internet service providers to monitor the use of the internet more closely to checkmate the activities of fraudsters. According to him, where stakeholders support and collaborate with the EFCC, the Commission would do its job perfectly.
Speaking on the purpose of his visit, Maida said he was at the Commission to congratulate the Chairman of the EFCC on his appointment, reiterating the fact that the “NCC is a longtime partner in the fight against internet fraud. The visit is one of those official engagements meant to deepen the conversation and engagement between us”.
He recalled that the EFCC facilitated the forensic training of some of the staff of the NCC maintaining that the inter-relationship between the two Commissions was vital in combating internet fraud.
“Internet crimes are sophisticated and the NCC as a critical partner is always ready to work with the EFCC in any area it could to contribute to the attainment of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he said.
