TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered and returned the sum of €10, 540 to a Polish victim of internet love scam.

The victim, simply identified as Jamina, was allegedly duped €40,000 by the suspect, Gabriel Oseremen Xavi, who operates a fake Facebook account with the name, Collins Page.

Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said the suspect was traced to Benin City, Edo state, where he was arrested by operatives of the anti-graft agency, following a petition by the victim.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Belgium embassy in Abuja during the presentation of the amount, Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC chairman, charged Western diplomats to sensitise their citizens against internet love scam.

Lamorde, who also urged them to focus more on lonely elderly people who have been found to be easy prey, added that all the assets acquired by the suspect from the proceeds of the crime would be disposed off at the conclusion of trail, and the money returned to the victim.

The high point of the occasion was the presentation of the money to the Belgian ambassador, Stephane De Loecker and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Dycha, by Lamorde.

Expressing his gratitude, De Loecker thanked the Nigerian government and the EFCC for what he described as “its commitment to curbing Internet scams’.’

He remarked that it was his first time of witnessing the restitution of a victim of scam by any law enforcement agency and urged the EFCC not to rest on it oars.

The envoy assured the Belgian government that it would carry out rigorous campaigns to sensitise its citizens on the dangers of love scam.

Dycha also expressed his gratitude, extending invitation to the EFCC to be part of the meeting of association of EU consuls to further “advise and sensitise them on internet scam”.

The presentation was witnessed by deputy head of mission, Belgian consulate, Veronique Bernad; Polish consul, Jakub Budohoski, and EFCC officials.