Oil subsidy: EFCC recovers N5bn

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it has so far recovered about N5 billion from persons and organisations indicted in the fuel subsidy scam.

The agency’s Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said this during a town hall meeting on fuel subsidy organised by Africa Network of Economic and Environment Justice, ANEEJ, in collaboration with Justice for All, J4A, in Abuja.

According to Uwujaren, the EFCC is currently prosecuting 13 different oil subsidy cases while investigations are on to bring other indicted persons or companies to justice.

“Investigation and prosecution of fuel subsidy cases have not been too easy for us but we are resolute in our determination to ensure that we push all those cases to logical conclusion,” he said.

While emphasising the importance the commission places on transparency and corruption issues in the oil sector, Uwujaren said the commission currently has a full fledge section charged with investigation of oil subsidy matters and other extractive industries issues.

He thanked the organisers of the programme for their initiative, saying: “As a commission, we welcome any initiative that draws public attention to the monumental fraud that we have in the oil subsidy regime.”

4 nabbed over ATM fraud

Meantime, the EFCC, yesterday, said it arrested four bankers for allegedly defrauding a bank customer of N5.1 million.

The suspects were said to be staff of Zoo Road branch of first generation bank in Kano.

Uwujaren said the suspects allegedly conspireds to issue ATM card to an impostor, in the name of Samuel Omede, who is  a bona fide customer of the bank in Bayelsa State.

He further disclosed that after the issuance of the purported ATM card, the impostor used the card to steal N5.1 million from Samuel Omede’s account.

Uwujaren also added that the suspects are currently being interrogated at the Kano Zonal office of the EFCC and will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.