Crime proceeds being used to import arms, centre tells EFCC
Director General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Johnson Babatunde, has complained to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that proceeds of crime are being used to bring in arms and ammunition into the country.
Babatunde complained yesterday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC at the commission’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
He said: “We have seen where proceeds of crime have been used to bring in arms and ammunition when it became difficult for criminal elements to bring in huge sums of money accruing from their illicit financial transactions.
“Some of them resort to buying small arms and light weapons to be brought into the country to prosecute some other heinous crimes. Some of these things, of course, are critical areas where we are looking for collaboration to see how EFCC can be of tremendous help.”
The retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), requested the support and collaboration of the EFCC in the pursuit of its mandate of controlling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
The NCCSALW boss also sought EFCC’s help in manpower training in the areas of financial intelligence, forensic investigations and financial intelligence analysis.
In his response, Olukoyede acknowledged the nexus between violent crimes and financial crimes and pledged the willingness of the EFCC to collaborate with NCCSALW to contain the proliferation of arms and weapons in the country.
He said: “Wherever you see insecurity, there is usually the propensity or prevalence of financial crimes. That’s the truth. There is a very strong relationship between financial crimes and proliferation of small arms, which the result is insecurity.” “I pledge our support, our collaboration to ensure that you achieve your mandate. There is a need for information and intelligence sharing.”
MEANWHILE, The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, yesterday, arraigned four Chinese before Justices M. Kakaki and Ayokunle Faji, both Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The quartet are part of the 792-member syndicate of alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested in Lagos on December 10, 2024, by officers of the EFCC in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation.”
While three of the defendants, Xia Guang Can, Li Xu Xin, and Zhang Xue Hui were arraigned on separate one-count charge before Justice Kakaki, Lu Yubo was arraigned on a two-count charge before Justice Faji. The charges bordered on internet fraud, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence, advance fee fraud and identity theft.
Justice Kakaki adjourned till March 18, 2025, for trial, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional Centre, while Justice Faji adjourned till March 31 and April 3, 2025, for trial, and ordered that Yubo be remanded in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
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