Nigerian government joins forces with U.S. to track FBI 77 suspects

There is no respite for the 63 Nigerians on the United States (U.S.) watch list.

Seventy seven Nigerians were among 80 suspects named by the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California Mr Nick Hanna on August 22 for conniving with others to dupe unsuspecting victims.

A 252-count U.S. federal grand jury unsealed by Mr. Hanna, charged the 77 Nigerians with participating in a massive conspiracy to steal millions of dollars.

It accused the suspects of taking the funds through a Los Angeles-based money laundering network.

The indictment was unsealed after law enforcement authorities, led by the FBI, arrested 14 suspects across the United States. Eleven of the arrests took place in the Los Angeles region. The FBI has declared a manhunt for those at large.

Since the news broke, Nigerians have condemned the activities of the cybercrime suspects, for dragging the name of Nigeria in the mud.

The statement signed by Senior Counsellor/Head of Chancery, Mr Mohammed Suleiman, on behalf of Ambassador Sylvanus Nsofor, expressed the government’s “willingness to cooperate with the government of the U.S. in accordance with the laid-down universal human rights and due legal processes in the interest of our nation.”

It however added that “the Embassy wishes to reaffirm that Nigerians are a generally law-abiding and hardworking people wherever they are, including in the U.S.

It appealed to Nigerian citizens in the U.S.  ”to remain calm and continue to observe the laws of the host country at all times.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had promised to fish out the suspects. EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu said he suspected that the number of Nigerian suspects would be more than 77 going by the joint operation of the EFCC and the FBI in the past few months.

He said the EFCC would watch developments and cooperate with the U.S agency on cybercrimes.

– The Nation