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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has removed a foreign national, Elie Bitar, from the wanted list for Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) fraud.

The anti-graft agency had on April 30 declared Bitar wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated on the CBEX trading platform.

The EFCC included Bitrar’s name in the wanted notice it published across social media platforms.

The agency, in a now deleted post on its X handle signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Bitar’s last known address was in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos State.

READ ALSO: CBEX: EFCC Declares Foreigner Wanted 

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday EFCC spokesperson said Bitar’s name has been removed from the wanted list, citing the availability of new information.

“Ellie Bitar of CBEX Solutions Ltd., who was earlier declared wanted, has since been removed from the list owing to new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list.

“The Commission is making good progress in its investigations. Law enforcement agencies across the world are collaborating with it in tracking and arresting all the wanted persons. The EFCC will not relent in bringing every actor involved in the fraudulent dealings to book,” the statement read in part.

According to Oyewale, the anti-graft agency is “gaining important ground” in the search for the eight persons declared wanted over the CBEX fraud.

Several videos online had shown some Nigerians raising the alarm over the loss of their funds to the CBEX scheme when it reportedly crashed in April.

As part of its investigations into the matter, the EFCC had declared eight persons wanted over their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme linked to the online trading platform.

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has explained why security has improved in the state, attributing it to a deliberate refusal to negotiate with bandits, the creation of community protection guards, and increased support for security agencies.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Governor Lawal explained that his administration inherited a deeply insecure environment rooted in more than a decade of violent conflict and banditry.

“Insecurity is something I inherited in Zamfara State for the past 13 years. Upon resumption of office, one of the first things I did was to establish the Community Protection Guards, which cut across all the 14 local governments in Zamfara.

“We carefully selected individuals based on full security clearance by the DSS. They were trained to be the first line of defence, and they now work hand in hand with the conventional security agencies to fight banditry in the state.”

No Negotiations

Rejecting the idea of negotiations with criminal elements, Governor Lawal maintained a hardline stance; he had declared in February.

“We refused to negotiate with criminals because I do not believe that is the way forward,” he stated. “However, anybody who wishes to surrender unconditionally is welcome to do so—but not under any terms.”

READ ALSO: Zamfara Earns Nothing From Solid Minerals – Gov Lawal

According to the governor, his administration has invested heavily in logistics and operational support for security forces, which he said has already begun to yield results.

“You don’t hear the kind of rampant attacks that used to happen in the past, where almost daily you’d hear that 200 people were killed. Yes, there may still be pockets of attacks here and there, but the security situation in Zamfara has improved drastically based on the measures we’ve put in place,” he noted.

‘Criminals Under Pressure’

Lawal revealed that the state has successfully intercepted arms and ammunition being transported into Zamfara from other states.

“Almost on a weekly basis, we intercept these couriers—coming from Port Harcourt, Plateau, and Nasarawa—and it’s working.

“These criminals are under a lot of pressure as we speak. Just yesterday (Tuesday), in order to support mobility, we donated 140 brand-new vehicles to all the security agencies operating in the state,” he said.

On the controversial issue of communities paying levies to bandits in exchange for protection, Lawal admitted the situation had previously existed but insisted that extortion by bandits had significantly declined.

Community Policing

He acknowledged imperfections in the system, particularly in the operations of community guards, but assured that accountability measures were being enforced.

Lawal said, “It would be difficult to say that every area is fully covered, but no, it’s not as easy as it used to be for the criminals. The payments have reduced drastically, and that’s because of the efforts and systems we’ve put in place.

“There will always be challenges,” he admitted. “These guards live within the communities and understand the terrain better than the conventional security. While that helps, we are also vigilant.

“Any community guard member caught in extrajudicial killings will be brought to book. Some have been dismissed, some are still in court, and others are in prison pending the outcome of their cases. We are not covering up for anyone.”

Governor Lawal also highlighted efforts to address insecurity at the regional level through collaborative governance among northern governors.

“Northern governors are disturbed by the presence of these criminal elements. We met last Sunday and discussed a framework that will unify our efforts in tackling insecurity, poverty, and banditry.

“We realised that disjointed responses are not effective. We’ll meet again in two weeks to finalise a collective action plan. Whatever Zamfara is doing, Sokoto should be able to replicate, and vice versa,” he said.

Zamfara State has endured severe security challenges over the past decade, with periods marked by rampant banditry, mass killings, and kidnappings.

In early 2022, under Governor Bello Matawalle’s administration, over 200 were killed in a single attack, one of the deadliest in recent Nigerian history.