Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has sealed off the Tongyi Group of company, a mining and construction company over alleged breach of Nigeria anti money laundering and terrorism laws.

EFCC in a statement on Tuesday, said, the company fails to corporate with his special team assigned to checkmate against terrorism financing and money laundering.

The statement and other news releases from EFCC on Tuesday read verbatim below:

SCUML Seals Tongyi Group for Alleged Non-compliance with Anti-money Laundering Laws

The Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 sealed up Tongyi Group, located in Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja for alleged non-compliance with Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism, (AML/CFT) regulations.

Officers of SCUML shut down the construction and mining entity after it paid no heed to a series of the Unit’s attempts to be compliant with AML/CFT regime.

By SCUML’s regulations, the seal of non-compliance and closure pasted on the business premises would remain in force until the company embraces full compliance with Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and terrorists financing laws. By shutting down the company, SCUML
warned members of the public to be wary of carrying out business transactions with it.

Tongyi Group allegedly violated Nigeria’s Money Laundering Protection and Prohibition Act 2022 as well as the Terrorism Protection and Prohibition Act 2022 all of which are under the AML/CFT regime by refusing to sign SCUML’s
checklist and to send statutory reports to the Unit, which form parts of measures SCUML put in place to mitigate money laundering and terrorists financing activities in the country.

SCUML, a Unit of the EFCC monitors, supervises, regulates and assesses the activities of Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) and Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), which are vulnerable to money laundering and terrorists financing.

EFCC Warns Against Vote Buying in Edo State

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede has warned against vote buying and selling in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

The Chairman stated this during a Town Hall meeting on voter’s sensitization towards the forthcoming election in Ekpoma, Esan West Local government and at the Famcoop Hall, University of Benin, Benin City.

The EFCC boss who was represented by Asistant Commander of the EFCC ACE II Williams Oseghale, Head, Public Affairs Department, Benin Zonal Command stated that vote buying and selling were criminal offences as enshrined in the Electoral Act.

He charged those participants at the meeting to take the message to their friends, brothers, sisters and colleagues “as ignorance is not an excuse in law. That I don’t know is not an excuse. The law is against it. So stay away from it.”

Citing the Electoral Act, he stated that any person who “buys or offers to buy any voters’ card whether on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person , commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding N500,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both”

The Commission also aired a recorded interview by the Acting Zonal Director, ACE I Effa I Okim, previously aired on the EFCC television programme, the Eagle on Television on the consequences of vote buying.

Ochre Eden Precious, Executive director, YES Project Initiatives who facilitated the programme said the essence of the Town Hall meeting was to inspire youths to discharge their civil responsibilities by registering and casting their votes and to discourage vote buying and selling during the governorship election.

Olukoyede Engages NBA on AML/CFT Regulations

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Ola Olukoyede has engaged lawyers under the umbrella of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in relation to compliance with Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism, (AML/CFT) regulations.

The event tagged: “NBA AML Guidelines: A Practical Approach for Legal Practitioners” was organized by the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML, a department in the EFCC in collaboration with the NBA as part of efforts to
enlighten legal practitioners on the importance of compliance with AML/CFT regime.

In his goodwill message, delivered by the Director of SCUML, Mr Daniel Isei, the Chairman expressed confidence in the cooperation of lawyers with SCUML in the implementation of Nigeria’s AML/CFT regime and promised to spare no efforts in ensuring that the relationship
was enhanced in the overall interest of the country.

Olukoyede expressed happiness that the NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN has already ensured the incorporation of some critical elements of the AML/CFT into the NBA guidelines, adding that the collaboration was necessary as the evaluation of Nigeria by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF,
was bleak and called for much work to be done in addressing the identified gaps.

“This collaboration couldn’t have come at a better time. You are all aware that we are on a Grey List, so there are certain actions that are expected of us as a country to take and show forth to the world that we are going in the right direction. So this event is one of those activities that will show that there is strong collaboration between competent authorities of government and self-regulating bodies to address the issue of money laundering and terrorist financing,” he said.

Maikyau, in his address appreciated the EFCC Chairman for the collaboration and stated that lawyers needed to collaborate with the EFCC to get more enlightenment on their services to their clients on AML/CFT regulations and charged lawyers to take the lead in the anti-corruption
fight as professionals with the best knowledge of the law.

Maikyau further used the occasion to announce the establishment of an NBA/AML Desk which he said would be an interface between the NBA and law enforcement agencies on account of AML/CFT regulations.

Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Ngunan Kakwagh and Chief Superintendent of the EFCC, CSE Temitope Erinomo gave lectures on “Overview of AML/CFT Global Requirements for Legal Practitioners’ and “Guidelines for Conducting Market Entry Controls and KYCs” respectively. Panelists, comprising Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN and Babajide Ogundipe who contributed in the drafting of the AML guidelines answered questions from participants.

Olukoyede Charges Students to Imbibe Culture of Honesty

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has charged youths and students across the country to imbibe the culture of honesty, integrity and avoid internet fraud and corruption.

He made the call on Friday, May 30, 2024, at Anglican Girls Grammar School, Apo, Abuja at the inauguration of the School’s Integrity Club.

Olukoyede, who spoke through the Deputy Director, Public Affairs Department of the Commission, DCE Nwanyinma Okeanu enjoined the students to make integrity their watchword always.

He also charged them to see corruption as unhealthy lifestyle that is inimical to the progress of individuals and country and warned them to shun all forms of corruption and internet fraud.

“In the instance of the school environment, corruption manifests as unhealthy practices such as lying, exam malpractices, internet fraud, stealing.” He said.

According to him, youths ’involvement in internet fraud is a threat to their future because of the risks of conviction and associated complications.

The EFCC boss disclosed that “corruption shows up when one decides to cut corners and throws good conducts to the dogs” stressing that they should endeavour to life an honest life.

“We are here because integrity should be the watchword of everyone especially the young ones. If you do not have integrity, you will be missing a lot in life, although to you, you are enjoying and gaining wealth but your life is gradually going down the drain”, he said.

Speaking on the Integrity Club, Olukoyede explained that the club was aimed at promoting positive values and good morals amongst all students in the country and urged them to work hard in being a person of integrity and honesty and not make excuses for ill acts.

“I encourage you to take this club seriously and work with the EFCC in the pursuit of ridding this nation of all forms of economic and financial crimes and based on these submissions, I consider it a great privilege to launch an Integrity Club in your school today. I hope that every member, student and entire school community adopts the rules and regulations of the club and in the process make Nigeria better and greater”, he said.

The Head of Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit of the Commission, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, in her remarks said the Integrity Club is being established in schools across the country because EFCC believes in the youths as the ones that will bring about the change that Nigeria is yearning for.

“You are a special and important stakeholder of the EFCC and that is why we try to educate and instill in you, the young ones the spirit of integrity. The mission of the Club is to develop, nurture and empower future leaders to be proactive ambassadors of integrity”.

“Stand for the right thing and do the right thing always even when no one is watching as you are the future of Nigeria. Nigeria will always be home, we do not have any other country and as we all know, we are representatives of this great country and as such, we should thrive to be good representatives.” She said.

Mohammed further added that it’s rewarding to be a true ambassador and citizen of Nigeria and that it pays to be honest in ones activities.

In her words, “If you decide to emigrate to another country in order to escape the harsh realities here, instead of fixing things, what happens to people who do not have that opportunity? Being considerate is also a major indicator of integrity.

“Be a part of this fight against corruption, do what you can in your own little corner, do not wait for anyone to fix the country. If you all decide that individually, you will be a voice against corruption and help to spread the message of the EFCC.

Earlier, the Vice Principal of the School Administration, Mrs Nkiru Nwafor in her welcome address, appreciated the EFCC, in its efforts to make Nigeria corruption-free.

She welcomed the idea of the Integrity Club and promised to keep pushing her students to be good representatives of the School and the nation at large.

“We appreciate the EFCC team for deeming us worthy of being their ambassador. We are honoured by their presence and we are grateful that we get to have this Integrity Club as an arm of the Commission. We’ll do our best to make you proud”, she said.

The highlight of the event was the oath-taking ceremony by the Club members, Executives, and their Patrons, including the presentation of Integrity Club manuals and EFCC publications to the School.

Olukoyede Commends Nigerians on Improved Behaviuoral Changes towards the Naira

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has commended the gradual improvement of positive behaviuoral changes among Nigerians towards the Naira.

He made the commendation in Abuja on Monday, June 3 2024 during an interview session with the EFCC Radio, 97.3 FM program called the Mandate. He noted that Nigerians are now embracing the fight against Naira abuse the right way as people are now paying attention to what they have taken for granted despite the level of resistance at the beginning.

Olukoyede, who spoke through the Spokesperson of the Commission, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Dele Oyewale stated that the Naira is our country`s identity, symbol and legal tender within the territorial integrity of Nigeria, adding that all hands must be on deck to protect the honor and sanctity of the system as commendable changes have been achieved across the economy.

“If you go to parties, nobody is abusing the Naira as it used to be because people know that it is no longer business as usual, people are now paying attention to what they have taken for granted, they now study the law of the land. So, we should applaud the courage of the Executive Chairman for choosing to restore the sanctity of our identity. We are carrying out this mandate by ensuring that laws that are already in place are duly obeyed and it takes courage to do this because attacks are coming left, right and center. You can see that we are ahead, people are beginning to come to terms with the laws. Right now, we have got close to 50 convictions in this regard” he said.

When asked about what law backed the Commission on the abuse of Naira, the EFCC boss pointed out Section 7, Sub Section 2 of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004 empowers the EFCC to coordinate and enforce all laws regarding economic and financial crimes. “Section 21 of the CBN Act also forbids currency abuse and the Central Bank of Nigeria has come out to advice Nigerians against the stapling, counterfeiting, selling, buying, spraying, writing, tearing, and mutilation of the Naira note. In fact, even if you reject the Naira, it is a crime and the likely penalty is stated in the CBN Act: an imprisonment of nothing less than six months or fine of ₦50,000 or both, so ignorance of the law is not an excuse”, he said.

When asked about the sensitization measures to enlighten Nigerians, he said that the rigorous campaigns of the Commission are progressive and it will continue, stressing that, “those who do not know will soon know as the Commission is employing all stakeholders in all sectors to pass the message down to the grassroots using all forms of media”.

“Our publicity strategy is very broad and fully- integrated. It covers the broadcast, print and social media online. Messages are also relayed locally in different languages because we want to penetrate the grassroots. So, a lot is going on and more will be done”, he said.

Olukoyede Tasks Car Dealers on SCUML Registration

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede has called on car dealers across the country to ensure that they register with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), a department in the Commission that regulates and monitors the activities of Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNBPs).

He made the call on Saturday, June 1, 2024 through the Acting Zonal Director, EFCC Kaduna Zonal Command, DCE Dr. Benedict Ubi, during a meeting/inauguration of newly elected executives by the Motor Dealers Association, Kaduna (MODAK) at Arewa House, Kaduna metropolis.

The Chairman noted that Section 17 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 mandates car retail outlets and all DNFBPs to register with SCUML and explained that “SCUML’s
registration can now be done online and electronic certificates bearing security features can now be issued and delivered to the entities using their verified addresses.”

He urged members of the association to be wary of individuals or body corporate
buyers who would prefer to make cash payments for their purchases even when the amount involved is above the approved threshold.

The newly elected Chairman of MODAK, Aminu Ibrahim Dankakalo thanked the EFCC for the enlightenment and sensitization and promised to ensure that every member of the association would follow SCUML’s stipulations.