Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operatives reportedly besieged the Kaduna State Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in protest against the arrest of individuals, including serving military personnel, for alleged involvement in internet fraud.
According to Channel Television, the NAF personnel arrived at the EFCC office around 10 am on Friday, November 17, 2023, in three Hilux patrol vans, effectively barricading the main gate and obstructing EFCC officials from entering or leaving the premises.
Eyewitnesses recounted a tense standoff between Air Force officers and policemen attached to the EFCC, with both sides engaging in a heated shouting match while pointing guns at each other.
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale responded to the incident, confirming that the arrested individuals, comprising one Nigerian Army service personnel and six from the NAF, were apprehended on Monday for internet-related fraud. Oyewale emphasized that the suspects were under the custody of the commission, awaiting the completion of investigations and subsequent legal proceedings.
In the face of the escalating tension, Oyewale underscored the independence of the EFCC as a statutory Federal Government law enforcement agency, asserting that it cannot be coerced by another sister agency while performing its official duties. The incident raises questions about the intersection between military personnel and cybercrime, adding a layer of complexity to the ongoing anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria