advertisement

NIPOST foiled N55bn scam – Ribadu By Sulaimon Olanrewajua Monday, December 10, 2007 THE Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) has been able to intercept about 15,129 counterfeit cheques worth about N55 billion related to Advance Fee Fraud popularly known as 419. advertisement The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, made this known in a letter of appreciation sent to the Postmaster General of the Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Mori Baba, on the cooperation his commission had received from NIPOST in combating financial crimes in the country. According to the EFCC chairman, some of the suspects had been arrested and were currently being tried. In the letter, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, Ribadu said “I write to thank you for the assistance the EFCC and its international partners received from you during the just concluded Postal Interdiction operations in Lagos. “I also want to share with you the immense gratitude of operatives from the British Serious Organised Crimes Agency (SOCA) and the United States Postal Inspection Service, who participated in the exercise and who left with warm and approving impressions of your staff and institution.” According to Ribadu, “during the exercise, about 15,129 counterfeit cheques related to advance fee fraud were intercepted, all drawn in the total value about N55 billion. The original denominations were in US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros and the British pound.” NIPOST has similarly been commended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its relentless effort at stopping the couriering of hard drugs through the post in Nigeria.