By: Aliyu Lawal
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is to partner with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the fight against illegal mining and cybercrime in the country.
Acting Zonal Director in charge of Kaduna Zonal Directorate, Mr Bawa Usman Kaltungo stated this when he lead a team of the Kaduna Zonal Office of the EFCC to the NUJ, Niger state Council in Minna.
Mr. Bawa Usman who told Journalists that illegal miners have been arrested however maintained that “the fight against these crimes are not for the EFCC alone because it is too big for us to handle as such it requires collective effort by all and sundry.
“We want Journalists to own the fight too so that together we can all curb the menace and succeed. We have apprehended four Chinese nationals and 21 others in Jos, Plateau state alongside thirty three other illegal miners and they will be taken to court for prosecution.”
He however, commended Journalists for being strategic partners in the fight against corruption, stressing that, the recent operations on cyber crimes in the state is to curb criminality, and that they are seriously dealing with it and we will succeed in the task ahead.
Mr. Musa Bawa Kaltingo said “they (cybercriminals) now see Niger state as a safe haven and are rushing here to carry out their activities.
“We have arrested so many internet fraudsters as a result of intelligence gatherings and we want Nigerians to know that the officers who raided the place are not illegal EFCC but are our men”.
Responding Chairman Niger state Council of the NUJ, Comrade Abu Nmodu expressed concern over the rise of cybercrime in Niger state, saying “it is worrisome and we must move against anything that is bad and seen as threat”.
While assuring the EFCC of the Union’s unflinching support, Comrade Abu Nmodu stressed the need for collaboration to ensure that Journalists are trained on best practices in the reportage of activities of EFCC to achieve maximum results.
