The EFCC arrested Bekono Marc Eric, a Cameroonian national, in Lagos on suspicion of masterminding a cross-border bank fraud involving N1.5 billion. The anti-graft agency announced the arrest on April 24 through its official X account.
Operatives from the EFCC's Lagos office pulled in Eric after an investigation into fraudulent banking transactions that authorities believe he coordinated across multiple borders. The scale of the alleged scheme, running into billions of naira, puts the case among the significant financial crimes the commission has tackled in recent months.
Cross-border fraud has become a persistent challenge for Nigerian financial institutions. Criminals exploit gaps in international banking systems and regulatory oversight to move money across countries, making it harder for law enforcement to track and recover stolen funds. The involvement of a foreign national in this case adds another layer of complexity, as it requires coordination between Nigerian authorities and their Cameroonian counterparts.
The EFCC has intensified operations against financial crime since the beginning of the year, recording dozens of arrests related to fraud, money laundering, and illegal financial schemes. Marc Eric's arrest forms part of this broader crackdown, though details about the specific banking channels used or the companies involved in the alleged fraud remain unclear.
The agency typically conducts forensic analysis on suspects' accounts and devices to trace the movement of funds and identify other people who may have helped execute the scheme. This investigation is likely to unfold over the coming weeks as the EFCC's cyber and financial crimes teams dig deeper into the case.
The next step will be to determine whether Marc Eric will be charged in court or face extradition proceedings if Cameroon requests his return. The EFCC will need to establish which Nigerian banks were used in the fraud and whether any local officials or bank staff facilitated the transactions.
