President Tinubu Targets Car Theft Syndicates in Nigeria

President Tinubu has ordered a nationwide crackdown on transnational car theft syndicates operating in Nigeria. Learn more about this operation.

President Bola Tinubu has promised that Nigeria will keep collaborating with its foreign allies to make sure organized crime groups and cybercriminals engaged in international auto theft are denied the advantages of their illicit activity.

In order to achieve this, Tinubu gave the go-ahead for security and law enforcement organizations, such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to step up their efforts to crack down on those who possess and traffic stolen vehicles.

Denying criminals the proceeds of their illegal operations is one of the most effective tactics available to law enforcement agencies, according to Tinubu, who made this statement on Sunday through his Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to him, Tinubu has confirmed that the EFCC recently sent the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP, 53 automobiles and $180,300 on behalf of two Canadian people who were the victims of cybercrimes committed by Nigerian nationals.

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Although President Tinubu is concerned about the involvement of international organized crime groups in the export of stolen automobiles to Nigeria, he praises the EFCC for working with partners to guarantee a competent and well-coordinated response to this threat.

Onanuga further stated that the President has ordered all pertinent agencies—especially the anti-corruption ones—to guard Nigeria’s financial and economic integrity against infiltration by organized crime.

Additionally, he insists that, in accordance with current laws and international agreements, the value of seized and confiscated moveable assets be maintained for the benefit of the government, society, and victims.

According to Onanugu, the president reaffirmed emphatically that Nigeria is not a place where stolen automobiles end up or where illegal money from other nations is hidden away.

Onanuga continued, “President Tinubu reaffirmed that his administration is committed to combating financial crimes, including money laundering and cybercrime.”