EFCC Denies Offering ₦1m To ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ Informants

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied offering a financial reward of ₦1 million for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of an internet fraudster, popularly known as ‘Yahoo Yahoo.’

EFCC stated this in a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren.

The anti-graft agency said the “clarification became necessary following phone calls by citizens wanting to cash in on notices in the social media by fraudsters promising a reward of One Million Naira for friends, family, and relatives of Yahoo Boys who hand them over to the EFCC.”

One of the notices with hashtags #EFCC and #beagoodcitizen said, “If you have a Yahoo Yahoo boy as family, friend, or relative, kindly hand them over to us, and get a massive reward of 1million naira.”

But Uwujaren advised the public to disregard the notices because they are alien to the Commission, adding that “Promoters of the hashtags are currently under surveillance and every effort will be made to bring them to justice.”

The EFCC spokesman however explained that the Commission “welcomes information that could lead to the arrest of cybercrime suspects, it has no policy of financial reward for such informants.”

He added, “The fight against corruption and other forms of economic crime is a patriotic duty and Nigerians are encouraged to embrace it with altruism.

“The whistleblower policy of the Federal Government which the Commission is among the agencies saddled with its implementation is applicable only to public sector corruption.

“The public is warned that the Commission will not be responsible for anyone who falls for this obvious scam.”