The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested Nuhu Dahiru for allegedly impersonating an operative and obtaining N3 million from unsuspecting members of the public under false pretences. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of criminals using fake EFCC identities to deceive people. In a similar case in2024, the police in Niger State arrested five individuals who posed as EFCC officials and abducted two students, demanding N10 million in ransom. The suspects used fake EFCC identity cards, which were later found to have been produced at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja.
According to the police, the 2024 suspects entered an off-campus students’ lodge, forced the two students into a vehicle, and took five phones from them. They used electric tasers as guns during the operation and later reduced their demand to N500,000. The police were alerted by other students and managed to arrest three of the suspects, while one escaped. The suspects confessed during interrogation that they had been invited by informants and that the activity was their means of livelihood.
Similar cases have been reported in the past, including a 2019 incident in Lagos where a 29-year-old man, Emeka Emmanuel, was arrested for allegedly posing as an EFCC operative and defrauding people with promises of securing jobs for them at the commission.
Another suspect, Simon Bolki, was arrested in Adamawa for attempting to defraud the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly by claiming to be an operative of the EFCC’s Intelligence Unit. The EFCC has warned members of the public against such fraudsters, particularly those who demand money or offer fake employment opportunities in the name of the commission.
The EFCC noted that N3 million was recovered from Dahiru upon his arrest, and he will be charged in court after the conclusion of investigations. The commission's warning serves as a reminder to the public to be cautious of individuals claiming to be EFCC operatives and to verify the authenticity of such claims before taking any action. As the EFCC continues to crack down on financial crimes, it is essential for the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
