By Kadiri Christopher
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| Edo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe JP, FSGI (r) with the EFCC Benin City Zonal Director, Effa Okim during a courtesy visit to the former |
The Acting Zonal Commander of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Edo Zonal Command, Effa Okim, has recently opined that Edo State, specifically Benin City, is the second overall in cyber crimes in the federation.
Addressing members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State Council, during a courtesy visit to the Council members in Benin City, Okim said from statistics of prosecution, Edo is occupying the second position in cyber crimes.
According to Okim who is the Zonal Director in charge of Edo, Delta and Ondo, "our vision and mission is not yet achieved. We must get there. Crime is visible in our streets today. So visible and disturbing. The state is so high in cyber crime. Crime usually goes with the size of the population.
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| A group photograph with Okim Effa during the visit |
"How come Edo State is higher in cyber fraud when there's Kano, Lagos and Rivers States? Edo is not as big as these states mentioned.
"Edo is too great in Nigeria history to be involved in such cyber menace. Go and see the history of Edo. The white people came to Benin and saw a city surrounded with walls and agreed that it is a city indeed.
"We have met with hoteliers and we have discussed with them on how to nip cyber crime perpetrated within their premises. We cannot continue like this.
"We have come to continue to partner with your union in order to reduce such criminality with this jurisdiction.
"How comfortable are you when you hear a 12 year old boy sentenced to jail? A boy who claims to be 18 years old just to open a bank account and to obtain a driver's license, when arrested, his father will then come out to reveal his son is not 18 years old but 12 years old. The child will show us who did the documents for him to obtain the driver's license and open the bank account. Ordinarily, a 12 year old is not supposed to be in correctional custody.
"I wept when I saw a child who killed his mother for money rituals. The parents are not rich, yet they didn't kill the child for money rituals. It is a problem already.
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| The EFCC Zonal Director, Effa Okim in a warm chat with the publisher, LEGENDS TV Comrade Kadiri Christopher |
"Just imagine a brother burying his brother alive because he wants to make money. When he was caught, he blamed it on the devil. Which devil? He dug the grave, tied his brother and proceeded to bury him and he is telling us it was the devil's work. How?
"We are here in Edo State to stop the menace. Let's be provoked in our speeches and movements to reject this act", he said.
Responding, the Edo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Amb Festus Alenkhe JP, FSGI, said, "we want to appeal to you to let your door be opened to us, especially when it has to be with suspects whose cases have been investigated and set for prosecution. It is not enough to report a cyber crime suspect who has been arrested. We can go deeper to know to what extent the case have been investigated and the conclusion from the end of EFCC.
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| EFCC PRO, Mr Williams, speaking during the visit |
"We have always told our members to balance their reports before publishing. So, you need to respond to journalists promptly in order to avoid unbalanced reportage.
"We shall continue to partner with the commission so we can remove Edo from the list of cyber frauded State", he said.
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