By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
Stakeholders in Benue State on Thursday played host to a strategic anti-corruption event marking the 2025 African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Day, with a public lecture in Makurdi that focused on the theme, “Understanding Virtual Asset Fraud.”
The event, organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), drew participants from various sectors including students, journalists, security agencies, and civil society who engaged in critical dialogue on the risks of emerging digital financial crimes.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede, the Zonal Coordinator of the Commission, Mr. Anselem Ozioko, emphasised the urgency of tackling virtual asset fraud and illicit investment schemes, which he described as growing threats to Africa’s economic future.
He noted that illicit financial flows, including money laundering, now intersect with newer risks such as crypto scams and digital token fraud.
“These are fast becoming preferred channels for hiding illicit wealth, especially among corrupt public officials,” Ozioko warned.
He cited the EFCC’s crackdown on the CBEX scam as an example of the agency’s commitment to tracking down digital fraud and also blamed the spread of investment scams including Ponzi and fake crypto schemes on a lack of public due diligence.
“Scammers succeed largely because many Nigerians fail to verify opportunities before investing. By the time they report to the EFCC, it’s often too late,” he said, urging citizens to remain vigilant.
The Makurdi Zonal Commander of the EFCC used the interactive session to encourage victims and whistleblowers to come forward, noting that the federal government’s whistleblower policy guarantees a 10 percent reward for recovered stolen funds.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benue, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, pledged the union’s support in amplifying public education around transparency and accountability values that he said remain critical in the fight against corruption.
