September 23, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has ordered a concerted effort by Nigerian security and law enforcement agencies, to intensify their crackdown on cybercriminals and transnational car theft rings operating in the country.
The President in a statement issued on Sunday, by Bayo Onanuga, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, directed agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to target individuals involved in the possession and trafficking of stolen vehicles.
He emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to collaborating with international partners to dismantle cybercriminal networks and organised crime groups engaged in transnational car thefts.
The President emphasised that one of the most effective ways to fight such crime is by depriving offenders of the proceeds from their illegal activities.
He commended the EFCC for returning 53 vehicles and $180,300 to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), on behalf of two Canadian victims of cybercrime involving Nigerian nationals.
Expressing concern over transnational crime groups exporting stolen vehicles to Nigeria, Tinubu lauded the collaboration between Nigerian authorities and international partners in addressing the issue.
He also stressed the importance of preserving seized assets for the benefit of the state, victims and society in line with legal frameworks and global conventions.
“Nigeria is not a destination for stolen vehicles and a haven for illicit wealth from foreign countries”, he declared, while reiterating his administration’s commitment to tackling money laundering, cybercrime and other financial crimes.
