‘We’ll end criminality’: EFCC, NCC parley against internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has called for a broad-based collaboration and synergy between the EFCC and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in tackling internet fraud across the country.

The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, made the call at a meeting with the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, at the corporate headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

Olukoyede stated that internet 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 need for collaboration because crimes are technology-driven,” he said.

The EFCC boss said the collaboration of the two commissions signalled greater readiness to confront the menace of internet fraud and assured fraudsters that criminality would not be business as usual for them.

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Olukoyede stressed that the challenges facing the country are surmountable and called for more commitment towards a corruption-free nation.

He further enjoined the NCC and internet service providers to monitor the use of the internet more closely to checkmate the activities of fraudsters, adding that “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 EFCC to congratulate the chairman of the anti-graft agency on his appointment, noting 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,” the NCC boss added.

He recalled that the EFCC facilitated the forensic training of some of the staff of the NCC, saying 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,” Maida said.

The Star