Gunmen attack on EFCC is shocking, disturbing – Sagay

By AKANNI HAMDALAT OPEYEMI

Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has condemned the attack at the Headquarters of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja, by unknown gunmen last Wednesday.

Unknown gunmen while fleeing after the attack, left a death threat note behind.

Sagay described the attack as a shocking and disturbing development. He said: “Good God, is that so? It is a frightening development. How could gunman have courage to go to the EFCC office to shoot at them? It just shows you how desperate the looters and corrupt people are getting the courage to attack a major institution like the EFCC. “It is shocking and it shows you the enormity of the battle to tame corruption and reduce it in this country. It shows why we need people who are strong and committed to fight the battle because the faint-hearted cannot do it in this country.”

The attack, which, according to the commission, took place in the early hours of Wednesday, was, however, repelled by security operatives watching the Commission, causing serious pandemonium around Zone 7 of the FCT, where the office is located.

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A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the heavily armed gunmen managed to escape in a getaway vehicle after destroying many vehicles parked in the premises.

National Daily learned that the assailants wanted to invade the particular section of the office, which houses the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, Desk and the Procurement Fraud and Foreign Exchange Malpractices Sections. It was also gathered that the attackers had targeted a senior investigator with the agency, Ishaku Sharu, whom they left a death threat in a white envelope for, before fleeing. The said Ishaku heads the Foreign Exchange Malpractices Fraud Section in EFCC and is reported to be in charge of corruption investigation involving several politically exposed persons and retired top military officers.

The assault on Ishaku is coming barely a few weeks after another investigator, Austin Okwor, was shot and wounded by unknown assailants in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Uwujaren said Wednesday that the latest attack had already been reported to the police for investigation.