Victor Ezeja
AdminThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has offered some insight into Friday’s fracas between its officials and some personnel of the Nigerian Air Force at the Kaduna Zonal Command of the anti-corruption agency.
EFCC operatives had in a sting operation arrested five suspects at an eatery located in the Barnawa area of the state on Monday following credible intelligence about their alleged internet-related fraud activities.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSix military personnel, who witnessed the operation at the eatery stormed, the Commission’s Kaduna Command and attempted to forcibly release the arrested fraud suspects but were subdued and detained over the security breach.
The names of the intruders were given as: four Air Force personnel: Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Christian, Alfa Suleiman and Emmanuel Ekwozor, and two students of Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula.
EFCC, in a statement by its Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said few hours after the clash some “unruly NAF Officers” stormed the Kaduna command “in a commando-style”, to forcefully release their detained colleagues.
It disclosed that while in detention, there were inter-agency communication and discussions by the leadership of the EFCC and the NAF to resolve the matter, adding that the talks towards the release of the combative Air Force personnel broke down after the invasion.
The statement titled “Facts of the Face-off Between EFCC and NAF Officers in Kaduna,” reads:
Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 13, 2023, arrested five suspects at a residential Inn and EFCC Arrests 29 Suspected Internet Fraudsters In Owerri Disney Chicken Eatery, Barnawa, Kaduna following credible intelligence about their alleged internet- related fraud activities.
The suspected fraudsters: Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Zuleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila and Solomon Olobatoke, were arrested without incident.
However, after the sting operation, six military personnel who witnessed the operation at Disney Chicken Eatery, stormed the Kaduna Command and attempted to forcibly release the arrested fraud suspects. They were subdued and detained over the security breach.
The intruders are four Air Force personnel: Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Chidi Christian, Alfa Suleiman and Emmanuel Ekwozor, and two students of Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, AFIT: Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula.
While in detention, there was inter-agency communication and discussions by the leadership of the EFCC and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF to resolve the issues.
Unfortunately, dialogue on the release of the combative Air Force personnel broke down on Friday, November 17, 2023 when some unruly NAF Officers stormed the Kaduna Command in a commando- style, to forcefully release their detained colleagues.
The EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation and flagrant abuse of power. The Commission continued to engage with the leadership of the Nigeria Air Force and released the officers to the NAF Provost after they had been duly profiled.
The EFCC wishes to assure the public that it will continue to carry out its statutory mandate of tackling all cases of economic and financial crimes, without let or hindrance.”
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