The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intends to pursue landlords who rent out their properties to internet fraudsters known as Yahoo boys.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the anti-corruption agency will host a discussion on Twitter Spaces on Wednesday to educate citizens.
The Legal and Prosecution Officers of the EFCC will speak at the tenth edition of EFCC Connect.
The topic of the chat, ‘Give your house to Yahoo boys, spend 15 years in jail,’ elicited social media reactions.
The EFCC had repeatedly warned commercial property owners against making their properties available to fraudsters.
The Abdulrasheed Bawa-led agency met with hotel owners in Ilorin, Kwara’s capital, earlier this month.
Zonal Commander, Michael Nzekwe expressed concern about the “cold complicity by hospitality entrepreneurs”.
Nzekwe accused some of them of working with suspected fraudsters by housing them over a long period and making internet facilities available.
The official stated that such act 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.
On the argument that hoteliers are business people and cannot determine who a fraudster is, Nzekwe explained the law doesn’t recognise the position.
The EFCC told them to always ask their customers for means of identification and to include their occupation during check-in procedure.
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