EFCC Arrests Health Ministry Officials over E-yellow Fever Travel Card Racketeering

Matilda Omonaiye/

Four officials of Port Health Service of the Federal  Ministry of Health, Benin City, the Edo State capital are in soup over e-yellow fever travel card racketeering.

The officials were arrested by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a sting operation, sequel to a petition in which the petitioner alleged that her aged mother who was to travel to Europe visited the Benin Office of Port Health Service to procure the e-yellow fever travel card, but rather than lead her through the proper procedure, she was convinced to pay N10,000 to obtain the card instantly. 

Trouble, however, began at the time of boarding her flight at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, when it was discovered that her e-yellow card did not have the Remita Retrieval Receipt Reference Identity.

She was subsequently compelled to get a proper one at the airport with the sum of N2000.

Based on the petition, the Benin Zonal Office of the EFCC sent two operatives to Port Health Service office in Benin, who pretended to have genuinely requested for e-yellow fever card.

Unaware that they were EFCC operatives, the Port Health Service staff requested for N7000 as payment for each card. On payment of the amount, the agents were issued with the cards instantly. The e-yellow fever travel card is officially N2000.

The illicit transaction made EFCC operatives swoop on Port Health Service office on Tuesday morning arresting four of its official.

According to EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, the arrested officials will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are completed.