FAKE NEWS ALERT: EFCC not offering N1m reward to ‘yahoo yahoo’ informants

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has debunked the claim that the agency is offering N1 million to informants who expose internet fraudsters.

A notice stating that the EFCC will reward those who expose internet fraudsters with N1 million has been making the rounds on social media.

The notice in circulation reads: “If you have a yahoo yahoo boy as family, friend or relative, kindly hand them over to us, and get a massive reward of 1million naira.”

It was also accompanied with the hashtags, #EFCC and #beagoodcitizen.

But in a statement on Friday, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said the commission did not issue such notice and asked citizens to disregard it.

He said although the commission welcomes information that can lead to the arrest of internet fraudsters, it has no policy of financial reward.

The EFCC said efforts are being made to apprehend those responsible for the false information, adding that the agency will not be responsible for those who become victims of the scam.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wishes to inform the general public that it has not issued any notice in the social media promising financial reward for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of a Yahoo Boy,” Uwujaren said.

“The Commission wishes to state that this message is alien to the EFCC, and members of the public are enjoined to disregard them.

“Promoters of the hashtags are currently under surveillance and every effort will be made to bring them to justice.

“While the Commission welcomes information that could lead to the arrest of cybercrime suspects, it has no policy of financial reward for such informants.

“The fight against corruption and other forms of economic crime is a patriotic duty and Nigerians are encouraged to embrace it with altruism.

“The whistle blower policy of the Federal Government, which the Commission is among the agencies saddled with its implementation, is applicable only to public sector corruption.

“The public is warned that, the Commission will not be responsible for anyone who falls for this obvious scam.”