Toba Owojaiye Reporting
Kaduna, Nigeria
In Kaduna on Friday, a clash unfolded between Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel and operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the arrest of suspected internet fraudsters.
NAF personnel, arriving in three Hilux vans, surrounded the EFCC office, hindering the movement of its operatives. The NAF group sought to release detained fraud suspects, disrupting the normal functioning of the EFCC premises.
Contrary to this, EFCC’s statement by spokesperson Dele Oyewale made available to TruthLive News clarified that the agency had lawfully arrested five suspects earlier in the week based on credible intelligence. The arrested individuals were Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Zuleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila, and Solomon Olobatoke.
The conflict escalated when NAF personnel, along with two students from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, attempted to forcibly free their detained colleagues.
Efforts were made for dialogue and resolution between EFCC and NAF leadership, but tensions escalated on November 17, 2023, when unruly NAF officers stormed the Kaduna Command in a commando-style operation.
Despite the provocation, EFCC exercised restraint and eventually released the detained NAF personnel after due profiling, emphasizing its commitment to addressing economic and financial crimes. This calls for better coordination between security agencies and intelligence gathering and sharing