President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday ordered security and law enforcement agencies to take action against individuals involved in trafficking stolen vehicles.
The agencies tasked with this responsibility include: the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Tinubu said Nigeria would continue to work with its international partners to ensure that cyber criminals and organised crime groups involved in transnational car thefts were deprived of the benefits of their illegal activities.
The President noted that one of the most effective tools available to law enforcement agencies was depriving criminals of the proceeds of their illicit activities, Mr Bayo Onanuga, his Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement.
He acknowledged the recent handover of 53 vehicles and 180,300 dollars by EFCC to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), on behalf of two Canadian citizens who were victims of cybercrimes perpetrated by Nigerian nationals.
While expressing concern over the involvement of transnational organised criminal groups in exporting stolen vehicles to Nigeria, Tinubu commended the Commission for collaborating with partners to ensure a coordinated and professional response to this menace.
The President further directed all relevant agencies, particularly the anti-corruption agencies, to protect Nigeria’s economic and financial integrity from organised crime infiltration.
He also demanded that the value of seized and confiscated moveable assets be preserved for the state, society, and victims in line with existing legislation and international conventions.
The president strongly affirms, “Nigeria is not a destination for stolen vehicles and a haven for illicit wealth from foreign countries.”
President Tinubu affirmed that his administration remained committed to tackling money laundering, cybercrime and other financial crimes.