Some politically connected Nigerians exploit internet scammers, commonly known as Yahoo boys, to launder illegal funds and destabilize Nigeria’s financial system, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Director General, Lanre Issah-onilu, has said
Onilu, who disclosed at a joint security press briefing in Abuja on Monday, lamented the close connect between Yahoo boys and politically exposed persons (PEPs).
This relationship, he said, underscores the necessity for intensified crackdowns by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies nationwide to stem money laundering activities.
He added:“When the EFCC takes action against Yahoo boys, it’s not solely about the scammers themselves. These individuals serve as vital links to expose and prosecute powerful political figures involved in laundering illicit funds.”
He expressed government’s commitment to implement anti-money laundering reforms to uphold financial integrity and boost Nigeria’s credibility on the international stage.
He revealed the collaborative efforts of security and anti-corruption agencies in tackling issues such as drug abuse, illegal arms trade, border security, and migration control. These include protecting key infrastructure, preserving natural resources, expanding humanitarian initiatives, and strengthening institutional accountability.
On some recent achievements, he disclosed that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) conducted 326 operations resulting in 2,109 arrests, rescued 175 kidnapping victims, neutralized 78 terrorists, and dismantled six armed trafficking rings. Moreover, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) carried out 1,572 raids, confiscating 2.9 million kilograms of narcotics. The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps successfully resolved 720 conflicts, while the Federal Road Safety Corps recorded 2,838 road fatalities.
According to him, the government has intensified security operations by combining tactical enforcement with intelligence-driven strategies. This unified approach has yielded significant results in curbing banditry, insurgency, trafficking, and other criminal activities.
He also disclosed the NDLEA’s recovery of 2.9 million kilograms of cannabis, 520 kilograms of tramadol, 7.35 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with weapons including 12 AK-47 rifles, two general purpose machine guns (GPMGs), and over 2,200 rounds of ammunition seized during recent operations.
Issah-onilu further disclosed efforts by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which seized 10 containers of tramadol and five containers of expired tomato paste.
He warned against the dangers of drugs and illegal substances, describing them as fueling crime. Agencies continue to dismantle trafficking networks on highways, borders, markets, and transit points, while promoting public education and rehabilitation programs.
He urged citizens to reject drug abuse, report offenders, and support community efforts as frontline defenders in the fight against narcotics.
