The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, handed over 53 vehicles and $180, 300 recovered from fraudsters to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on behalf of victims of financial crimes in the North American nation.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, handed over the recovered assets to RCMP representatives in Abuja.
The Canadian police was represented at the event by its Regional Officer, Nasser Sadiou, and the First Secretary, Deputy High Commission of Canada in Nigeria, Mr. Robert Aboumitiri.
Olukoyede said the vehicles were stolen from Canada and tracked to various car stands in Nigeria.
He added that nine of the vehicles were tracked to ports where they were awaiting clearance.
According to him, $164, 000 was recovered for a Canadian, Elena Bogomas who was a victim of a romance scam, while $16, 300 was also recovered for another Canadian, Sandra Butler.
The EFCC boss added that one of the fraudsters used his proceeds to buy an estate and was later arrested, prosecuted, and jailed while the property was sold to recover the funds.
He said: “It’s common knowledge that financial crimes have taken a new turn all across the globe.
“The people who perpetrate these crimes do it in such a way that we discover that their activities are quite borderless and barbaric.
“They employ all kinds of means to ensure that they move across various jurisdictions.
“That’s why it has become very necessary and imperative for us to collaborate with our friends across the world. People share the same objective and mandate with us.
“What the EFCC is doing today is on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“It is also demonstrating the fact that the President has given us the mandate to extend our hands to ensure that this particular problem is resolved and that is exactly what we are doing here today.
“We have recovered money, and financial assets, and also we have recovered vehicles on behalf of the victims in Canada.
“As a matter of fact, the 53 vehicles were recovered on behalf of the victims.
“In one instance, we had $164,000 given to a Canadian victim known as Elena Bogomas.
“Also, we have here, which we will present to you today, another sum of $16,300 stolen from another victim known as Sandra Butler.”
Sadiou in his remarks after the signing of documents for the transfer of the recovered assets, thanked the government and the EFCC for the fight against corruption.
“I am really happy to be here. I feel like being home. I am very happy with the recovery and we appreciate the EFCC on the job they have done.
“It is a testimony of your professionalism and commitment in the combat against financial crimes.
“EFCC is one of the key partners in the fight against financial crimes in the world and West Africa in particular,” he said.
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