The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified circumstances concerning the arrest and detention of four Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officials. In a statement titled “Details of the Confrontation Between EFCC and NAF Officers in Kaduna,” the anti-graft agency clarified that the military personnel were apprehended after attempting to forcefully free individuals suspected of involvement in internet fraud.
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC conducted a sting operation on Monday, November 13, 2023, resulting in the arrest of five suspects at a residential inn and Disney Chicken Eatery in Barnawa, Kaduna.
The suspects—Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Suleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila, and Solomon Olobatoke—were taken into custody without incident. Following the operation, six military personnel who witnessed the arrests at Disney Chicken Eatery attempted to forcibly release the detained fraud suspects.
These individuals, including four Air Force personnel (Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Chidi Christian, Alfa Suleiman, and Emmanuel Ekwozor) and two students of the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) (Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula), were subdued and detained by the EFCC over the security breach. While in custody, discussions were initiated between the EFCC and the Nigerian Air Force leadership to resolve the issues.
Unfortunately, on Friday, November 17, 2023, unruly NAF officers stormed the Kaduna Command in a commando-style attempt to forcefully release their detained colleagues. Despite the provocation and abuse of power, the EFCC exercised restraint and continued engaging with the NAF leadership.
The detained officers were eventually released to the NAF Provost after proper profiling. It was initially reported that the Kaduna State chapter of the EFCC had apprehended an army officer and seven NAF officials, holding them for further investigation and potential prosecution in connection with internet-related fraud. However, the situation escalated dramatically on Friday morning when armed NAF soldiers raided the EFCC office in the state capital, aiming to secure the release of their colleagues.
The confrontation between the Air Force personnel and EFCC security operatives led to a heated exchange, with both parties issuing threats of violence. The EFCC emphasizes its commitment to fulfilling its statutory mandate of addressing economic and financial crimes without hindrance.
