Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission don hand over 1,452 beds and mattresses wey dem recover from convicted cybercriminals to di Federal Ministry of Education. Dem go distribute dis items to Federal Unity Colleges across di kontri.
Di items include 501 double-step bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds plus mattresses. Dem recover dem during a big anti-cybercrime operation wey dem call Operation Eagle Flush. Di items don forfeit to di Federal Government under di Proceeds of Crime Act.
Di handover ceremony happun on Tuesday at di EFCC headquarters for Abuja. Maruf Alausa, Minister of Education, receive di items on behalf of di ministry.
Speaking at di event, Ola Olukoyede, EFCC Chairman, say di restitution initiative show di Commission determination to make sure say assets wey dem recover from criminal activities dey transparently deployed for projects wey go improve di lives of Nigerians, especially children and young people.
According to am, dem recover di beds and mattresses after Operation Eagle Flush wey lead to di arrest and investigation of 792 suspects, including 193 foreign nationals wey dey involved for cybercrime. Olukoyede disclose say dem convict di suspects, while di foreign nationals dem deport to dia kontris after serving di legal process.
E explain say di decision to transfer di recovered items to di Ministry of Education get approval from President Bola Tinubu in line with di Federal Government commitment to improve learning conditions for schools. “Di decision to hand over these facilities to di Federal Ministry of Education dey in line with di Federal Government determination to improve di quality of education for Nigeria,” e yarn.
Olukoyede note say children and youths dey bear di greatest consequences of corruption through poor infrastructure, inadequate facilities, and limited opportunities. E stress say dem suppose naturally become di primary beneficiaries whenever proceeds of crime dey recovered. “Children and di youth na di greatest victims of corruption and suppose naturally be di first beneficiaries of di proceeds of such crime,” e yarn.
Di EFCC chairman add say di latest donation form part of di Commission asset restitution programme under di Proceeds of Crime Act. E recall say di Commission don earlier transfer N50 billion for recovered funds to di Nigerian Education Loan Fund to support students access to higher education and facilitate di conversion of Nok University into di Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State.
According to am, such interventions show say recovered assets fit transform into opportunities wey go promote education, social development, and national progress. Olukoyede assure say di Commission go continue to intensify di recovery of illicit assets while making sure say all recoveries dey managed transparently and deployed for di collective benefit of Nigerians.
Receiving di items, Alausa say dem go distribute di recovered beds and mattresses to Unity Colleges across di kontri to improve students welfare. E describe di education sector as one of di biggest beneficiaries of di EFCC asset recovery efforts under Olukoyede leadership.
Alausa also praise di EFCC chairman, say e don raise di Commission operational standards and strengthen public confidence for im activities. “Chairman, I commend you for bringing di highest level of standards to di EFCC,” di minister yarn.
E further commend Tinubu for appointing Olukoyede to lead di anti-graft agency, describing di President as someone wey get exceptional ability to identify capable individuals for critical national assignments. According to di minister, di EFCC under Olukoyede don remain focused on professionalism and dem no don use am as instrument to intimidate or persecute innocent citizens. “And e no be EFCC wey di President go use to victimise and harass innocent citizens. We never see dat for di last three years. We get EFCC wey dey operate within di confines of di rule of law,” e yarn.
Alausa also laude di Commission for shifting from a largely reactive approach to corruption to one wey proactively identify systemic weaknesses, especially for public procurement, wey e describe as one of di kontri biggest corruption vulnerabilities. E say di Commission preventive approach don help reduce opportunities for corruption before public funds dey lost.
Di minister express optimism say di recovered facilities go significantly improve accommodation standards for federal secondary schools while reinforcing di government commitment to make sure say proceeds of crime dey redirected towards national development rather than private enrichment.
