EFCC Says The Airforce Officers Attempted To Rescue Some Fraud Suspects Detained in its Kaduna Office

EFCC says the Airforce officers attempted to rescue some fraud suspects detained in its Kaduna office.

By Zulaiyatu Maikudi Kaduna

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described how some operatives of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) invaded its office in Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital, on Monday and Friday, in separate attempts to free some fraud suspects and some of their intruding colleagues.

The commission said the case started on Monday when its operatives arrested five fraud suspects at an eatery in Kaduna.

Later that day, the EFCC said, some Airforce officers, who witnessed the operation, later invaded its office in the city to rescue the suspects.

“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,” EFCC’s Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement on Friday.

The statement identified the alleged intruders to include four Airforce officers – Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Chidi Christian, Alfa Suleiman and Emmanuel Ekwozor.

The rest are two students of Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) – Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula.

According to the commission, while the officers were still in detention and communication between the leaderships of EFCC and NAF on how to release them was going on, “some unruly NAF Officers stormed the Kaduna Command in a commando- style, to forcefully release their detained colleagues.”

It said the commission had to release the officers in exercise of restraints.

Facts of the Face-off Between EFCC and NAF Officers in Kaduna
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 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 officers – 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.