By Abubakar Yunusa
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says individuals who invested in the CBEX digital trading platform will get their money back.
EFCC said it was already tracking the CBEX trading platform before the recent public outcry.
According to several posts on X, the CBEX, which promised investors a 100 percent return on investment, began experiencing trouble last weekend as many could no longer withdraw their funds.
On Monday, aggrieved ‘investors’ had reportedly looted the office of Smart Treasure (ST Team), an arm of the CBEX crypto trading platform, in the Oke Ado axis of Ibadan, Oyo state.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Morning Brief on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson of the EFCC, said the anti-graft agency has been receiving numerous calls from Nigerians seeking information and remedies regarding CBEX.
He said before the recent outcry and calls, EFCC had profiled the platform and alerted Nigerians about potential ponzi schemes.
“We were not waiting for Nigerians to call us before we started our work, of course, we have been working,” Oyewale said.
“We were not beaten by what actually happened. Our dragnet is wide, our intelligence is very effective, and we were tracking that digital trading platform.
“We were tracking it, we profiled quite a number of things concerning the platform. You will recall that March 11th this year, the executive chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, had call to instruct us to alert Nigerians.”
The spokesperson recalled that about 58 ponzi scheme companies were listed by the commission in March for Nigerians to be wary of.
“That shows that we are proactive and we have our hands on what is happening. So concerning this investigation, we were on it, it’s not that we didn’t know,” he said.
“We’ve been alerting Nigerians about ways and means how to separate themselves from this kind of shenanigans.
“Before the calls came, we were working, while the calls are coming, we are working; And even after the calls, we are still working.
“The essential thing is that, of course, we are going to recall some of the things that Nigerians should be looking out for, you know, concerning this kind of investment schemes and all of that.”
Oyewale further assured investors that their money will be recovered, though it may take time.
“No, it will be very irresponsible and unprofessional if the EFCC says that you have lost your money; there is nothing the commission can do about it,” the spokesperson said.
“We are already working with Interpol and our international development agencies to ensure that these people are brought to book.
“Investors are going to get their money back, and we are already working on that. Everything I’m saying is this kind of thing could have been averted.
“Be it as it may, it was not averted, we are not going to throw our hands out helplessly and say that there’s nothing EFCC can do about it.
“We are more responsible and professional than that. We have spread out our wings by talking to Interpol and the necessary agencies across the world to be able to bring all the actors to book, and investors will have their money back.”
Oyewale said the investments might not be recovered in the short term, but EFCC will not allow investors to lose their money.
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