Nigeria Intensifies War on Scam

As part of effort to rid the nation of financial crimes including the 419 scam, the National Committee on Financial Crimes yesterday paraded before the media two persons arrested for Advance Fee Fraud (419).

One of the suspects Eze Udu Anakwe and his brother Kingsley Nnamdi Anakwe still at large were alleged to have impersonated Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi and his son Sani to dupe an American businessman Mr. Milton Bernox of the sum of $5.5 million.

Mr. Benox was said to have been contacted by one Paul Oniama who posed as a director with the nation's oil conglomerate Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and vested with the responsibility of promoting petroleum product business in Nigeria.

Mr. Bernox was subsequently invited to London where he reportedly met one Robert who later introduced one Alhaji Sani who posed as a representative of the Nigerian High Commission in London.

Investigation so far carried out by the Committee which has been specifically set up to spearhead the nation's war against financial crimes revealed that the "deals" began in 2000 and by 2002, the sum of $5.5 million had so far been collected from Mr. Bernox before it was bursted.

Another suspect Mr. Bolaji Bode-Thomas allegedly under false pretence collected the sum of N3.7 million ($37,000.00) from Seafood Company Lagos between April and May 2002 for a plot of land at the Government Reservation Area (GRA) Ikeja. The plot of land was later found to be the property of Lagos State Government. Parading the suspects, Chairman, Committee on Financial Crimes, Commissioner of Police Mr. Charles I. Akaya said the scam syndicate features Nigerians and expatriates thereby rendering fruitful investigation difficult. Nigeria has recently launched the biggest offensive so far on financial crimes including the 419 scam. Only in December the nation's highest legislative body, the National Assembly passed the law establishing the Commission for anti-terrorism, economic and financial crimes. The law provides stringent penalties for anyone convicted for financial crimes including (419 scam) and terrorism.

F.K. Martins
Head of Information
Embassy of Nigeria
Washington, D.C.
January 16, 2003