EFCC, NAF lock horns in Kaduna over fraud suspects

Officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and personnel from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) clashed at the Kaduna Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency over the detainment of fraud suspects.

Reports explained that the NAF personnel reportedly launched a raid on the EFCC’s office in an attempt to secure the release of their colleagues, who had been previously apprehended by EFCC operatives for their alleged involvement in attempting to forcibly free individuals suspected of fraud.

A statement issued by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity for the EFCC, on November 17, 2023 on X cleared the air on the facts of the incident. First Oyewale stated that the face-off was following the arrest of five individuals suspected of internet-related fraud.

According to him, on Monday, November 13, 2023, EFCC operatives executed a well-planned raid at the Disney Chicken Eatery in Barnawa, Kaduna, nabbing the alleged fraudsters – Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Zuleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila, and Solomon Olobatoke. The operation proceeded smoothly, signaling a successful crackdown on cybercrime, before things took a new turn.

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“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 were 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.”