The internal cleansing campaign in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has taken a fresh twist as a senior officer has been accused of extortion and abuse of office.
The officer, an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE, was alleged to have demanded a 10 per cent payoff from a suspect to secure a “soft landing” in an ongoing investigation.
The allegations are contained in a six-page petition submitted to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, by the Network for Justice Association of Nigeria, NJAN.
According to the petition, the senior officer described as influential within the Commission, is facing 21 allegations, including extortion, obstruction of justice, interference with investigations, unauthorised access to financial intelligence and acquisition of unexplained wealth.
The petition comes amid heightened scrutiny of alleged misconduct within the anti-graft agency, including a separate investigation involving a sectional head over an alleged $400,000 bribery scandal.
Mr. Olukoyede, who has repeatedly emphasized the need for internal discipline to sustain the EFCC’s anti-corruption campaign, has in recent months approved sanctions and dismissals of personnel found guilty of fraud and other breaches.
In the latest case, NJAN, in a petition signed by its President, Adedeji Sunday Ajala, questioned the officer’s lifestyle and assets, noting that his monthly salary is estimated at between N800,000 and N900,000.
The group said the officer’s alleged wealth and spending pattern appear inconsistent with his legitimate earnings.
The petition was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
As of press time, the allegations remain unverified, with no conviction or formal finding of wrongdoing established against the officer.
Kuni Tyessi
Follow us on:
