Crime
EFCC fights one another over looting of recovered assets
No fewer than 27 officers of the commission were reportedly dismissed for misconduct and fraudulent activities in 2024.
The agency spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on January 6, 2025, also indicated that the EFCC was investigating “a trending $400,000 claim of a yet-to-be-identified supposed staff of the EFCC against a sectional head.”
Two days later, 10 officers from the Lagos zonal command were detained over theft of operational items.
The detained officers are said to be answering questions regarding their inability to account for certain operational items that went missing under their watch.
A security source disclosed that the missing items included gold bars valued at over N1bn and jewellery, while between $350,000 and $400,000 had also gone missing.
While the news of the corrupt officers had yet to fade, another scandal was uncovered at the Kaduna Zonal Office of the commission on Wednesday.
An officer from the zone, identified as Polycarp, allegedly stole over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits.
The EFCC has remained silent on the Kaduna incident, which has added to the array of corrupt practices among the commission’s staff members.
Why operatives are stealing exhibits
A highly credible security source, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, described the theft of exhibits as “highly disappointing.”
The source blamed the trend on prevailing poverty and skyrocketing cost of living, adding that easy access to the exhibits made the theft inevitable.
He noted that mechanisms should have been instituted to prevent such incidents.
According to him, allowing unchecked access to a place where exhibits like dollars and gold bars are stored could be a serious temptation.
The source stated, “Many of them are exposed and understand the value of money and the worth of items kept in their custody. It is unprofessional not to have mechanisms in place to ensure safety and accountability.”
He explained that high-value items should ordinarily be deposited in bank vaults for safekeeping.
However, if they must remain on EFCC premises, they should be stored in a well-secured location with multiple layers of security measures put in place.
“If the items must be kept in the office, at least three credible officials, who will be held accountable, should have access. To access the exhibit room, all three officials must be present simultaneously, each holding a different key to unlock the secured area. One or two of them should not be able to access the place without the others being present,” he added.
On punitive measures for officials caught engaging in such acts, the source said, “First, outright dismissal, followed by prosecution. Such officers should be treated like the original suspects or even face harsher punishments to serve as a deterrent.”
He continued, “If such an officer has travelled out of the country, the agency has their biometrics on record and can utilise Interpol to track them down.”
The source also raised concerns about the potential fallout from such incidents.
“What happens if the suspect who owns the seized items wins the case at the Supreme Court and demands their return? That would become a major scandal and embarrassment.
“Some of these cases can drag on for up to 20 years. If the Federal Government eventually wins, those valuables are meant to be auctioned, and the proceeds paid into government coffers. Allowing such lapses is unacceptable,” he added.
A senior official of the EFCC, who asked not to be identified, said the development was embarrassing.
“It is not just a shame to us, but it is very embarrassing. Our chairman is a transparent man; that is why he is not hiding the misconduct.
“I am aware of some cases. One of them said the offer was too tempting, and he could not resist it. It is giving us a bad name,” he stated.
A security analyst, Mr Yemi Adeyemi, said no EFCC official had the right to tamper with evidence or exhibits.
“There is no excuse. The EFCC is too sensitive to have officials that cannot control themselves. The chairman must clean up his house,” he said.
A renowned analyst and criminologist, Jackson Lekan-Ojo, said no officer caught pilfering or tampering with exhibits should go unpunished.
He said, “There is no excuse for such misconduct. They (officers) should face the law. The EFCC must clean up its house and make sure that every officer sent out for raids does it professionally and without any blemish. Their job is quite a sensitive one.”
Recently, a popular crossdresser, Idris Okunoye, aka Bobrisky, in a leaked audio, purportedly accused some EFCC officers of collecting N15m from him to cancel a money laundering charge against him when he was arrested.
While Bobrisky has since denounced the audio, the viral tape dented the image of the agency.
EFCC audits exhibits
Findings by Saturday revealed that the recent criminal activities of the officers had caused disquiet within the EFCC, forcing its management to order an audit of recovered assets across its zonal offices.
A credible source in the agency confided in our correspondent that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyode, had directed zonal directors to restrict access to the ‘exhibit room’ and implement more surveillance.
The source said, “The chairman is not happy about the incidents and the backlash from the public. Since the Lagos incident where 10 of our officers were detained for alleged theft of exhibits, the chairman has ordered a full-scale audit of the recovered assets, including property, cash, materials, and other items.
“He also ordered restricted access to exhibit rooms and other classified sections at the zonal offices. He directed high surveillance in those places to ensure that they are under supervision 24/7.”
When contacted, the EFCC’s Head of Media, Oyewale, said the audit was an ongoing exercise.
He said recent developments in the commission were brought to the fore by an ongoing internal audit, adding that it was aimed at cleansing the system.
Oyewale said, “The development in the commission is triggered by internal cleansing that is ongoing. The executive chairman is determined to bring integrity and accountable conduct to the whole realm and the activities of the commission.
“Every audit is always informed by the need to bring sanity, remove wastage, block loopholes and tackle every form of disequilibrium in the system. It is a courageous development and a testament to the leadership to ensure that those who come to equity must come with clean hands.”
He denied allegations that the poor welfare of operatives was responsible for recent cases of theft.
“I want to say there’s no justification for fraudulent practices. Poverty and poor conditions are not a justification. When you fight corruption, you should know it will fight back.
“I think we need to commend what the chairman is doing to remove dead woods and bad eggs and to give the nation an anti-graft agency that can stand the test of integrity.
“Most of these advertisements against us are coming from detractors and people who are negatively affected by our internal cleansing. You should expect that! Twenty-seven people (sacked) in 2024, we expect that they will fight back. Whatever anyone is saying, it is corruption fighting back,” he added.
Outrage over night operations
This comes amid widespread condemnation of the EFCC’s night operations, which led to the killing of one of its operatives, Aminu Salisu, an Assistant Superintendent.
Salisu was fatally shot during a midnight operation in Awka, Anambra State, on January 17, 2025.
The incident occurred two months after the EFCC boss, Olukoyode, directed that sting operations at night be stopped in all the commands of the commission.
Instead of empathising with the commission on the killing of its officer in the Anambra operation, members of the public are questioning the operational protocols of the EFCC’s operations.
By Our Correspondent
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation for 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road.
The victims were reportedly abducted on Thursday, October 1, 2026, around Umunoha in Imo State.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, CSP Anietie Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the statement, Nadada arrived in the state alongside two Commissioners of Police and immediately conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the incident and the ongoing rescue operation.
He also reviewed the operational strategies, deployment of personnel and available assets, while issuing additional directives aimed at strengthening the coordinated response.
The assessment was conducted alongside the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Garba Bosso; the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Operations, CP Akpan Anifiok; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force; other service commanders and members of the management team of the Imo State Police Command.
Iniedu said the search-and-rescue operation had been intensified, with additional tactical teams and operational assets deployed to identified areas.
He added that the operation was being supported by intelligence-led tracking of the abductors and coordinated efforts with other security agencies.
Nadada assured members of the public that the police remained committed to securing the safe release of the abducted persons.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to securing the safe rescue of the 20 abducted persons and will sustain the operation until the mission is successfully concluded,” Iniedu quoted Nadada as saying.
The police boss urged members of the public and the media to remain calm and vigilant, while appealing to anyone with credible information that could assist the operation to contact the police or the nearest security formation.
He assured the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The police said further updates would be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
Five men have been arrested and arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Maiduguri, Borno State, after police allegedly found them wearing T-shirts bearing the words “Tinubu Must Go.”
The defendants were identified as Baba Aji Gremami, 44; Mustapha Abba Yemen, 28; Abbacha Mohammed Ali, 32; Adam Umar Gubio, 21; and Abdulhamid Mohammed, 21.
According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25, 2026, near West End Roundabout in Maiduguri.
Police charged the five men with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery under Sections 60, 78, 79 and 392 of the Borno State Penal Code.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Court I in Maiduguri.
Their lawyer subsequently applied for bail. The court adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to rule on the bail application, while the substantive trial has been scheduled for October 26.
The case has drawn attention because the alleged conduct involved wearing clothing displaying a political message.
Amnesty International criticised the prosecution, describing the arrests as arbitrary and arguing that peaceful political expression is protected by fundamental human rights. The organisation called for the immediate release of the five men and urged authorities to discontinue the case.
Amnesty International also expressed concern that the prosecution could have implications for political expression and opposition activities in Borno State.
The case has generated reactions on social media, with some commentators questioning whether the display of political messages on clothing should constitute a criminal offence.
There have also been allegations that a prominent politician in Borno State may have influenced the arrests. The allegation has not been independently verified.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, were reportedly unsuccessful as of the time of filing.
The defendants remain subject to the court process, and the allegations against them have not been established in court.
The Jigawa State Hisbah Board has arrested eight people in Kazaure Local Government Area over alleged homosexual acts, according to the board.
The board’s Public Relations Officer, Dauda Hadejia, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Hadejia said the arrests followed a complaint filed by a 22-year-old man, who alleged that nine individuals had engaged in sexual acts with him on different occasions.
According to the statement, the complainant also claimed that he later contracted HIV, which he attributed to the alleged encounters. He reportedly appealed to the Hisbah authorities for justice, describing the alleged conduct as deceptive and harmful to his life.
Following the complaint, Hadejia said Hisbah operatives launched an investigation and began searching for the nine individuals named by the complainant.
“So far, eight suspects have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect,” Hadejia said.
He added that the eight arrested individuals reportedly admitted during preliminary investigations to having engaged in sexual acts with the complainant.
Hadejia said the board had gathered information and evidence that would be presented before a court. He added that the investigation remained ongoing and that the suspects would be charged upon its completion.
The Deputy Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Board, Dr. Hussain Baban, reportedly urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s upbringing and the people with whom they associate.
He also called on members of the public to be mindful of the consequences of their actions and to uphold religious and moral values.
The board further expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its support and cooperation in carrying out its responsibilities.
A newly married couple, Funmilayo Bamidele and her husband, Reverend Abiodun David, have been abducted along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, a border route linking Kwara and Kogi states.
The couple were reportedly returning from their engagement ceremony in Eruku on Saturday evening when armed men intercepted their vehicle and abducted them alongside four other passengers.
According to sources, the vehicle was initially expected to take the Isanlu Road. However, the driver reportedly chose an alternative route to drop off the best man and other members of the group at Iyamoye in Kogi State.
The vehicle was subsequently intercepted by armed men along the Iyemero-Eruku Road, leading to the abduction of all the occupants.
A photograph of the newly abducted couple has since emerged following the incident, while details about the whereabouts of the other passengers remain unclear.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said soldiers had been deployed to search the surrounding bushes and rescue the victims while also pursuing the suspected kidnappers.
Ojo disclosed that the vehicle used by the victims was later found abandoned at a former police station in Ayetoro, Ekiti State.
He added that police operatives from Kwara, Kogi and Ekiti states were working jointly on the rescue operation because the incident occurred around the border communities of the three states.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details on the identities of the suspected abductors or whether any contact has been established with the victims.
At least five miners have been killed and two others injured after gunmen reportedly ambushed them at a mining site in Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, in Marit village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to community sources, the miners were carrying out their legitimate activities when they came under attack. The incident has plunged the community into mourning and renewed concerns over the safety of residents in the area.
Confirming the attack, the National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, said five people lost their lives while two others sustained injuries.
“It is a very sad and painful development. Our people are once again mourning the loss of lives to violence,” Tengwong said, while calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to protect communities and prevent similar incidents.
A community member, Simon Mundat, also described the attack as devastating and appealed to the authorities to strengthen security in the area.
“We are deeply saddened by this attack. We appeal to authorities to strengthen security in the area so that our people can go about their legitimate activities without fear,” he said.
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