Crime

Reps demand closure of ‘illegal’ loan apps used by criminals

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2024

The House of Representatives has urged the closure of illegal loan platforms used by “one chance” operatives to extort money from unsuspecting victims.

This decision followed a motion of urgent public importance presented by Billy Osawaru during Wednesday’s plenary session.

Osawaru highlighted the activities of these operatives as “heinous,” explaining how their actions leave victims in dire conditions. He noted that victims are often subjected to severe torture and forced to hand over personal information, which is then exploited.

“In many cases, the phone numbers and bank accounts of victims are used to borrow money from illegal and unauthorised loan apps, thereby incurring huge debts that the victims are forced to repay,” Osawaru said.

The lawmaker also expressed concern over the reluctance of banks to assist complainants without a Police report. He called on the Nigeria Police, banks, and FinTech operators such as Opay and MoniePoint to prioritize cases of “one chance” operations and kidnappings reported to them. The motion was adopted unanimously by the House without further debate.