The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Ola Olukoyede on Friday, September 20, 2024, handed over €5100 (Five Thousand, One Hundred Euros) proceeds of crime to the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell.

The sum was recovered from a Nigerian romance fraudster for Heinz Burchard Einhaus Uchtmann, a Spanish victim by the EFCC in collaboration with the Spanish Police.

While handing over the deed of release on behalf of the Nigerian government, the EFCC boss expressed appreciation to the Spanish counterpart for its support to Nigeria over the years, noting that the asset recovery and handover lent evidence to the cordial relationship and collaboration between both countries and their law enforcement agencies.

While noting that the borderless nature of internet crimes has made collaboration and partnership among countries and law enforcement compelling, he stated the resolve of the EFCC to make the country unconducive for the corrupt and the fraudulent.

“With the investigation in this romance scam, we were able to make some recoveries for one of your citizens, Heinz Burchard Einhaus Uchtmann who became a victim of romance scam,” Olukoyede said.

“And we are happy to inform you that we have been able to recover €5100 (Five Thousand, One Hundred Euros) for him and we have evidence that the money has also been transferred to him.”

A happy Ambassador Sell in his response, lauded the collaboration between the EFCC and Spanish Police and pledged the commitment of the Spanish government to strengthen and take it higher.

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“Many times you work on processes and you will never see the end result of your endeavours but what has made this special is the fact that we have seen the results of the efforts of the collaboration of two countries that are friends for the benefit of the citizens,” he said.

“Indeed this is a joyful moment for all of us: those who were involved in the investigation and those who supervised it and made it happen.”