By Ado Oyeyemi
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed how suspected internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo boys, allegedly stole more than N7.2 million from the bank account of a serving judge before the commission recovered the funds within hours.
Olukoyede made the revelation on Friday during the public presentation of two books authored by retired High Court judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
According to the EFCC chairman, the judge contacted him around 1 a.m. after receiving multiple debit alerts indicating that money saved over several years for her child’s education had been withdrawn from her account.
He said the victim explained that the funds represented about six years of savings intended to finance the child’s schooling.
Olukoyede noted that by the time the judge reached out to him, more than N7.2 million had already been taken from the account.
He added that the incident occurred in a state where a court order had previously restricted the commission from investigating certain financial crimes.
Recalling the conversation, Olukoyede said the judge urged the commission to intervene immediately despite the legal constraints.
The EFCC boss said the anti-graft agency acted swiftly, tracking the transaction and recovering the entire amount before 6 p.m. the same day.
He stressed that the incident underscored the growing threat posed by cybercrime, noting that many Nigerians only appreciate its impact when they become victims.
Olukoyede called for closer collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and members of the public to combat internet-related crimes more effectively.
He also appealed to lawmakers and legal experts to review existing legislation to accommodate the use of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations, lamenting that current laws make it difficult for AI-generated evidence to be admitted in court.
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Also speaking at the event, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), urged anti-corruption agencies to intensify efforts to recover public funds allegedly stashed in foreign countries.
