The House of Representatives has called for the closure of illegal loan platforms used by “one chance” operatives to extort money from victims. The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Billy Osawaru during plenary on Wednesday.
The lawmakers also urged the Nigeria Police, banks, and FinTech operators like Opay and MoniePoint to prioritise cases of “one chance” operations or kidnappings reported to them.
While moving the motion, Osawaru described the activities of “one chance” operatives as “heinous”, adding that their actions have left victims in a dire state, subjecting them to severe torture and emptying their bank accounts.
The lawmaker further stated that banks are often reluctant to assist complainants until Police reports are provided.
“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 motion was adopted unanimously without debate.