President Bola Tinubu has issued a directive mandating a comprehensive crackdown on cybercriminals and transnational car theft syndicates operating in Nigeria. 

In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu instructed key law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to step up efforts in tracking and prosecuting individuals involved in these illegal activities.

Tinubu emphasized that one of the most effective strategies for combatting these crimes is to deprive the perpetrators of their illicit proceeds, a measure designed to weaken the economic foundations of such criminal networks. 

This directive follows a recent achievement by the EFCC, which handed over $180,300 and 53 vehicles to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), representing assets recovered from Nigerian nationals who had defrauded two Canadian citizens.

Tinubu praised the EFCC for its collaboration with international partners, notably the RCMP, in returning stolen goods to their rightful owners, and commended the commission for its successful recovery of vehicles and funds linked to transnational criminal syndicates. He also expressed concern over the growing involvement of Nigeria as a hub for the export of stolen vehicles, a practice that has drawn international attention.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling financial crimes and stated unequivocally that Nigeria will not serve as a destination for illicit wealth or stolen goods from other countries.