EFCC Returns $225,895, N62.79m to Foreign Victims of Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned a total of $225,895 and N62,790,000 to foreign victims of fraud.

The disclosure was made in a statement on the EFCC’s official X account on Friday, March 13, 2026.

The recovered funds were handed over to victims from the United States and South Africa as part of ongoing efforts to trace and restitute proceeds of cross-border financial crimes.

What EFCC is saying 

The commission said the handover reflects its continued focus on international cooperation in fighting fraud and recovering illicit funds. Returning money to victims is intended to restore individual losses and strengthen trust between Nigeria and foreign partners.

• “The EFCC on Friday, March 13, 2026, handed over a total sum of $225,895 (Two Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Five United States Dollars) and N62,790,000 (Sixty-Two Million, Seven Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) to foreign victims of fraud from the United States of America and South Africa.”

The handover ceremony was presided over by EFCC Secretary Mohammed Hammajoda and attended by representatives of the victims’ countries, including FBI Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché Mike Fukuda and Acting South African High Commissioner Lindi Mminele.

The EFCC emphasized that the initiative is part of broader efforts to engage international law enforcement and restore confidence in cross-border business transactions.

More insights

During the handover, Hammajoda described corruption as a global issue that requires collective action.

He also emphasized that the EFCC aims to ensure recovered funds are returned to their rightful owners, whether individuals, corporate organizations, governments, or international victims.

• Fukuda received $7,440 on behalf of U.S. victims Drago Boskovic, $15,000 for Anh Ngoc Nguyen and three others, and $175,895, along with N62,790,000 for Holly Ngo.
• Mminele, together with the victim’s lawyer Elisha Sunday, received $50,000 on behalf of South African company Ennis-Flint Africa Limited.

Fukuda described the EFCC as a “world-class agency” committed to justice and international cooperation.

Flashback 

Over the years, there have been several cases where the EFCC returned funds to foreign victims of fraud.

• In February 2025, the commission returned $120,548.43 and N70,602,841.46 to American, Spanish, and Swiss nationals who were defrauded by Nigerian scammers.
• In September 2024, $180,300 and 53 vehicles were returned to Canadian victims, including $164,000 for Elena Bogomas and $16,300 for Sandra Butler.
• In February 2022, the EFCC returned €1,120 to German victim Regina Gluck, who had been deceived through a romance scam by Austin Isibor Aisosa.

These cases show the EFCC’s role in restitution for cross-border fraud incidents over time.

What you should know 

The return of funds coincides with ongoing EFCC prosecutions and enforcement actions in recent months.

• In March 2026, the EFCC arrested Mbah Chidinma Sophina for an alleged N19 million and €8,370 fraud linked to a Certificate of Sponsorship scheme.
• In January 2026, businessman Wilson Opuwei and Dateline Energy Services Ltd. were arraigned over an alleged $550,000 fraud involving false claims on Dual Purpose Kerosene allocations.

In March 2026, Obiajulu Emeka Emmanuel was convicted for obtaining $850,000 through fraud, sentenced to one year imprisonment, fined N1 million, and had three properties forfeited to the victim.