The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has announced that landlords housing internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys risk being treated as criminals.
This was revealed on Tuesday by the Kwara Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe.
DAILY REPORT recalls that the anti-graft agency had held a meeting with hotel owners in Ilorin, the Kwara capital, where the commission raised concerns about a “cold complicity by hospitality entrepreneurs”.
Nzekwe accused some of the hoteliers of working with the fraudsters by providing housing for long periods and making internet facilities available.
He warned that the act of housing the suspects negates Section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
“The section provides for a prison term of between five and 15 years without option of fine for any person who permits his premises to be used for any offence under the Act,” he said.
Nzekwe, who agreed tp the argument that hoteliers were business people that may not determine who a fraudster was, he urged them to ask for customers for means of identification, as well as their occupation during check-in procedure.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency will hold an online discussion on Twitter Spaces to educate citizens.
The agency’s Legal and Prosecution Officers will speak at the forum, which will be the tenth edition of EFCC Connect.
The discussion themed ‘Give your house to Yahoo boys, spend 15 years in jail’, has attracted mixed reactions from Nigerians on social media.
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