By Adenike Lawal
Following the sudden collapse of digital investment platform CryptoBank Exchange, popularly known as CBEX, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has assured distraught Nigerian investors that no effort will be spared in recovering the over one point three trillion naira lost to the scheme.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said the Commission is actively pursuing the masterminds of the fraud while working with international law enforcement bodies, including Interpol, to trace the stolen funds.
CBEX, reportedly linked to a Chinese digital trading firm, abruptly ceased operations earlier in the week, leaving thousands of investors locked out of their funds and sparking widespread outrage.
Emotional stories of financial ruin have flooded social media, as victims demand swift action and restitution.
Oyewale emphasized that the EFCC had previously warned the public about the dangers of investing in unregulated, high-return platforms.
He noted that the Commission is fully committed to delivering justice and returning money to victims, though he cautioned that the process may take time.
“It would be highly unprofessional for the EFCC to simply tell Nigerians they have lost their money and there is nothing we can do,” he said. “That is not who we are. We are working around the clock, and investors will recover their money.”
He also recalled that on March eleven, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede directed the publication of a list of fifty eight suspicious investment firms in a move to safeguard Nigerians from similar traps.
Reiterating the agency’s commitment to transparency and accountability, Oyewale urged Nigerians to verify the legitimacy of investment platforms before committing their resources. “Nigerians deserve better, and we are going to deliver,” he declared.
As investigations deepen, the EFCC is calling on the public to remain cautious and report any suspicious investment schemes to the authorities.
