EFCC To Charge Nigerian Air Force Personnel To Court After Face Off

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has released a statement saying it will charge to court the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel who were released on bail conditions on Friday by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Commission. 

Recall THE WHISTLER reported on Friday that EFCC said it had a “face off” with the Nigerian Air Force during the week after operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command went on sting operations and arrested some suspected internet fraudsters at a residential Inn and Disney Chicken Eatery, Barnawa on 13th November, 2023.

The Commission said the arrest followed credible intelligence about the alleged activities of suspected internet fraudsters whose names were given as: Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Zuleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila and Solomon Olobatoke.

EFCC said all the suspects were arrested without any incident. However, it noted that “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,” EFCC explained. 

However, in the press statement released on Saturday by the Head, Media and Publicity Unit of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the commission said: “The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, personnel released on administrative bail by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, November 17th, 2022 will be charged to court at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. 

“The officers were released to their Service in strict adherence to the bail procedures of the Commission.

“The Commission reiterates the fact that no one is above the law and the due process will be followed in bringing the case to a conclusion.”