The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, have made fresh moves to strengthen their existing collaboration particularly in the area of information sharing in the fight against economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption
These moves were made in Lagos, on Friday, September 13, 2024 when the Sector Commander, FRSC, Lagos State Sector Command, Corps Commander Patrick Davou, paid a courtesy visit to the Ag.Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Michael T. Wetkaz.
Davou acknowledged the vital roles of the Commission in checkmating the fraudulent activities of some citizens and foreigners alike.
While highlighting the mandate of the FRSC, which he said included manning the highways and reducing congestion on roads so as to ensure that the economic activities of the country are not affected, he explained that the FRSC had recently developed a software to enhance its activities. Additionally, he disclosed the FRSC was willing to render technical aid for the Commission whenever it might be needed.
According to him, “We are saddled with a lot of responsibilities.
“We man the highways to ensure the safety of Nigerians and that properties are protected.
“We ensure our roads are motorable and we reduce congestion on our roads, so the economic activities of the country are not affected.
“We have now come up with an App that enables anyone to easily access information about our activities.
“Safety is a shared responsibility and we have collaborated well with the EFCC, hence our visit today.“
Responding, Wetkas expressed his gratitude to Davou and his team and also requested the FRSC to offer its shoulders, more than ever before, to the EFCC to lean on, especially in the area of information sharing.
He said: “We can see that you have a robust data base. I know that the FRSC has always been a step ahead with the use of technology. This is highly commendable.
“So, you can also assist us to query certain things and get more information that will be useful to our investigations. We have a lot of exhibit cars. We will therefore be collaborating more with your office.”
Wetkaz also used the opportunity to decry the disturbing involvement of youths in cybercrimes.
He said: “In the EFCC, our mandate is very wide. Recently, we keep hearing that it is just “Yahoo Yahoo” cases that the EFCC is fighting. But you will be surprised at the damage it does to the country in the comity of nations.
“Now, perpetrators of internet fraud even use people for rituals and have also graduated to doing sextortion. This has become an international disaster, as suicide seems to be the option for the victims abroad.
“But we have recorded good progress in that regard so much so that the international community had to ensure our flags were flown in one of their events”
Continuing, he said: “The reputational damage of cybercrimes is a lot and we are trying to mitigate this and find ways to stop it.”
According to him, the EFCC recently investigated some cases involving 100 people over yahoo yahoo.
He added: “We had to do an analysis to diagnose the cause of yahoo yahoo. Statistics showed that 61 percent of their parents were aware; 64 percent were still staying with their parents; 62 percent were sponsoring their parents. So, who do we hold?”
He, therefore, advised that all hands must be on deck to stamp the menace out of our society, adding that “I want us to understand that the future is bleak, if our children pursue a life of yahoo yahoo.”