Date Published: 04/01/10

EFCC ON CYBER CRIME: AN ASSESMENT By Dzever Tersoo

It was indeed a large shoe  that Waziri stepped into by accepting to become the chairman of EFCC. Not so much because of the work of her predecessor, but the enormity of the challenge thereof. Even after she was cleared and confirmed by the national assembly in June 2008, there were still some mixture of doubt and cynicism from both within and outside the country, as propaganda had it that she was brought in to weaken the anti corruption war.

Approximately two years down the line in this onerous task, we believe, Waziri has acquitted herself creditable, despite the stiff challenges. The efforts so far achieved by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on internet fraudster is extremely commendable.

In redeeming the image of the country that has been ridiculed before the international community, the chairman of the commission Madam Farida Waziri AIG Rtd deemed it fit to curb the menace that have bedeviled  our graduates and under graduate. EFCC in recognizing that Internet Fraud and its seeming but fleeting riches have dampened the youths resolve for hard work and self reliance introduced  an anti-internet scam mechanism in fighting these fraudsters known as (EAGLE CLAWS )

This software is capable of tracing, monitoring and stopping fraudulent internet mails from anywhere in the world. These cartels of fraudsters who disguise in different forms just to obtain money from innocent people have portrayed the country in a very bad image before the commity of nations.

Judging from the Guardian publication of Tuesday March 30, 2010 EFCC has really lived up to its expectation in the fight against corruption.

According to the publication, the Internet Crime Complain Center in 2009 stated emphatically that internet scams are common in Africa , African countries made up only 10 percent of the reported number of victim complaints, with the UK and U.S comprising more than 75 per cent of the total figure.

The report further said that scammers are running away from Nigeria and relocating to neighbouring countries. With this backdrop the EFCC should be given credit in its anti corruption war that is being championed by FARIDA WAZIRI. It is high time we put a stop to baseless propaganda and blackmail being perpetrated by unscrupulous element.

Nevertheless, everyone is at a liberty to his own opinion on national issues, however, when such criticisms are anchored on the basis of biased mind it baffles my imagination.

Conclusively, the EFCC under the leadership of Farida Waziri has built an admirable reputation for the country nationally and internationally, however the battle ahead is still challenging, I urge all Nigerian to give their massive SUPPORT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION.

Dzever Tersoo

A public affairs analyst writes from JOS.