Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen consular cooperation with a focus on visa facilitation, the welfare of Nigerians in the Kingdom, and the repatriation of detained citizens.
This was the outcome of a courtesy visit by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Yakubu Gambo, to the Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs in Riyadh yesterday as contained in a statement signed by the media aide to Amb. Gambo, Idris Sarauta.
According to the statement, the meeting came shortly after Gambo attended a farewell ceremony hosted by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps for the outgoing Ambassador of India and the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States.
During discussions, both officials reviewed ongoing issues affecting Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, including visa processes and measures to facilitate the release and repatriation of eligible Nigerians currently in detention. They also committed to strengthening collaboration to curb irregular migration.
Speaking at the meeting, Amb Gambo reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to expanding bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia beyond the annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
In response, the Saudi Deputy Minister pledged the Kingdom’s continued support for improved consular cooperation to better serve Nigerian citizens in the Kingdom.
The engagement underscores Abuja’s push to protect Nigerians abroad and diversify Nigeria-Saudi relations into trade, security, and migration management.
EFCC Hands Over 1,452 Recovered Cybercrime Assets to Education Ministry
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ola Olukoyede has handed over 1, 452 hostel items recovered from cybercrime operation to the Federal Ministry of Education.
While handing the items to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, yesterday in Abuja, Olukoyede said they were recovered during a major anti-cybercrime operation in 2024.
According to him, the items comprise 501 double-step bunk beds, 939 mattresses, and 12 wooden beds with mattresses recovered during a special operation code-named ‘operation Eagle Flush.
Olukoyede also said the handover was in line with the federal government’s policy of deploying proceeds of crime to critical social sectors.
While explaining that the assets were recovered under Operation Eco-Forge, he described it as the single largest cybercrime operation involving the education sector.
According to him, about 792 suspects were arrested during the operation including 193 foreign nationals.
”All the suspects were investigated, prosecuted and convicted, while the foreign nationals were repatriated after serving their jail terms.”
The EFCC chairman said the decision to hand over the recovered items to the education sector was deliberate.
“Children and youth remain the greatest victims of corruption and financial crimes and should therefore be the first to benefit from recoveries.
“President Bola Tinubu made this decision fully conscious of the fact that investing recovered assets in education will secure the future of our young people.
”This is not the first time proceeds of crime are being deployed to education.
”Last year, a forfeited university facility was handed over to the ministry of education and now operates as the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia in Kaduna State,” he said.
Olukoyede also cited the Student Loan Fund as another beneficiary of recovered assets and disclosed that part of the fund was sourced from proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
He added the support covered tuition and monthly stipends, giving many young Nigerians who could not afford school the opportunity to study.
He linked the intervention to crime prevention, noting that financial pressure pushed many students into cybercrime.
“We discovered that most of these students go into financial crimes because they cannot afford to pay their school fees, yet they genuinely want to be educated,” he said.
Olukoyede added that the latest handover would further improve infrastructure and facilities in secondary and tertiary institutions.
He also said that the commission would continue to work with the ministry to ensure the assets were properly utilised.
The Minister of Education, who received the items on behalf of the federal government, commended the EFCC for the recovery efforts.
He pledged that the assets would be deployed to areas of greatest need, especially unity schools across the country to improve learning conditions for students.
