EFCC Freezes N16 Million Account In Bermuda

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday that it has traced and taken possession of a foreign account traced to Bermuda Island.

The account, according to the commission’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, harbours $103,762 (N16, 083,110), which belongs to an undisclosed retired Nigerian public officer, who is standing trial.

“The taking over of the asset owned by the public officer who is being prosecuted by the EFCC at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, followed a court order granted by an FCT High Court on October 17, 2012”, Uwujaren said.

Bermuda Island is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, located off the east coast of the United States. It is situated around 1,770 km Northeast of Miami, Florida.

Uwujaren added that EFCC’s action is in compliance with Section 6(e) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, which empowers the commission to adopt measures to identify, trace, freeze, confiscate or seize proceeds derived from terrorist activities, economic and financial crimes related offences or the property the value of which correspond to such proceeds.

“The commission is hereby advising all citizens that there is no hiding place for any Nigerian who may want to courier the proceed of illicit wealth to foreign lands as the commission, working with relevant intelligence units, has the capacity to trace and seize such proceed,” Uwujaren said.

Source: Guardian