How EFCC Driver Stole From Chief of Defence Staff

A driver with the Eco­nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Alhaji Nasiru Isa, has been arrested by operatives of the agency for offences border­ing on criminal breach of trust, attempted theft, conspiracy and impersonation.

The driver, joined the Com­mission about 18 months ago and is alleged to be a member of a criminal syndicate that at­tempted to break into a sealed property by the EFCC, with the intent of carting away goods suspected to be proceeds of money laundering.

According to Wilson Uwu­jiaren, Head of EFCC Mead Unit, “the syndicate includes a Mobile Police Officer, Corporal Aliyu Ismaila, Abubakar Jibrin, Abdulsalam Ado, Ibrahim Babangida, Reuben Dauda, Has­san Aliyu, Sani Yusuf and Mur­tala Mohammed”.

He added that the property is located in the choice area of Garki, Abuja, but is currently under investigation by the EFCC and therefore, became a subject of interest, in the aftermath of findings into the N3.9 billion fraud case involving a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd).

Investigations by EFCC op­eratives revealed that shortly after the property was sealed, some individuals moved about 12 bags believed to contain items suspected to be associated with money laundering offence, into the property.

“On August 30, 2016, op­eratives of the EFCC as part of monitoring activities on the sealed property, had gone to the site to execute a search, but members of the syndicate took to their heels on sighting the operatives of the anti-graft agency.

A carpenter, Yakubu Mu­hammad, who was hired by the syndicate was left behind and was subsequently arrested by the operatives.

“The carpenter, who has been cooperating with opera­tives, confessed that he was not in the know of the illicit activity, as he was only brought in by the syndicate to assist them with the use of his carpentry tools to break into the property,” Uwuji­aren disclosed.

Investigations, according to him, have revealed that one of those in the know about the said goods was the brain behind the scheming to steal them.

“The syndicate decided they would need to subdue the secu­rity man at the property, which would mean they would need to involve security personnel in the syndicate. Subsequently, Isa was contacted.

“To further beef up the secu­rity aspect of the crime, he also contacted his friend, Ismaila, who came for the “operation” fully armed.

“In perpetrating the crime, Dauda had posed to be a se­nior staff with the EFCC, while Jibrin posed as an Intelligence Police officer in the office of the Inspector General’s office,” he stated.

However, nemesis caught up with them on August 30, 2016 when they were caught in the act of breaking into the prop­erty, having successfully over­powered the security guard at the entrance of the property.

They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.