The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered €5,100 from a Nigerian scammer and handed the money over to Spain’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio Sell.
This money was taken from Heinz Burchard Einhaus Uchtmann, a Spanish citizen, who was scammed in an online romance fraud.
The EFCC worked with the Spanish police to track down the scammer and recover the stolen money. On Friday, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede gave the funds to Ambassador Sell at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, helping to bring relief to the victim.
Olukoyede thanked the Spanish government for its help and talked about the importance of working together with other countries to fight financial crimes. He pointed out that criminals around the world control more money than even the tech industry, and said it’s vital for countries to team up to stop them. He also made it clear that the EFCC is committed to making Nigeria an unsafe place for scammers and corrupt people.
Olukoyede said, “Financial crimes are borderless. Criminals can operate in one country, scam victims in another, and send the stolen money elsewhere. Our job is to ensure that Nigeria doesn’t become a safe haven for these criminals.”
Ambassador Sell thanked the EFCC and Spanish police for their work together, and said that he’s happy for the victim. He also promised to strengthen the partnership between both countries, especially through more training and sharing of information.
He said, “This is a joyful moment for all of us. Romance scams are particularly cruel because they take advantage of the victims’ kindness and trust.”
SKJ