THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Lagos zonal office says it has commenced investigation of suspected fraudster for concealing 2,886 Automated Teller Machine( ATM) cards and four Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards in noodles.
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity stated this in a statement issued on Thursday.
Oyewale said the suspect, Ishaq Abubakar was handed over to the EFCC by the Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday, after he was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on his way to Dubai with 2, 886 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and four Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards carefully concealed in packs of noodles.
“Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on August 22, 2020, intercepted the suspect with 2, 886 ATM cards and four SIM cards, which he carefully concealed in parks of Noodles,” he said.
“The suspect, who claimed to have come from Kano to travel to Dubai aboard the Emirate Evacuation flight, was seen with someone who was assigned to facilitate his movement through the airport checks.”
The EFCC spokesperson said this raised the suspicion of the officers who insisted he should be physically and thoroughly checked after the scan machine had revealed he was carrying parks of noodles.
Abdul-Rasheed Bawa, the EFCC Lagos zonal head, who received the suspect on behalf
of the Commission, assured the NCS that EFCC would duly investigate the suspect and any other party that might be involved in the alleged criminal offence.
“On behalf of the Commission and the acting Chairman, Muhammed Umar, we have taken over Ishaq, and I can assure you that we are going to investigate the matter thoroughly and unveil everybody involved in the syndicate, Bawa said.
He added that there are possibilities that there is an element of conspiracy, foreign exchange (FOREX) malpractices, and money laundering adding that banks and bankers are definitely involved.
Bawa also emphasised the possibility of the suspect being a member of a network, adding that “In recent months, we have observed a trend in which unsuspecting Nigerians are lured into opening accounts to be bought at a fee.
“Most bankers are not carrying out their duties with due diligence, particularly the Know Your Customers, KYC, procedural check,” he noted.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94