EFCC says why they locked up NAF officers in Kaduna.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed why it detained four Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel in its Kaduna zonal office.

The commission in a statement yesterday in Abuja by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, explained that the officers stormed its Kaduna Command office and attempted to forcibly release arrested fraud suspects.

According to him, they were subdued and detained over the security breach. The statement read: “Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the commission 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 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 NAF 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.”