The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has expressed grief over the loss of one of its officers, Aminu Sahabi Salisu who was killed in cold blood while on duty by a suspected internet fraudster, Joshua Chukwubueze Ikechukwu in Anambra State.
The Commission views with great concern what it describes as irresponsible, callous, inhuman and outrageous narratives being circulated on social media on the whys and wherefores of the fatal accident.
The Commission in a Statement explained that it is heinous to reduce the death of a gallant officer who was carrying out patriotic and official duties to social media razzmatazz.
While it says that there is no justification whatsoever to rationalise a murderous act, the Commission notes that it is worried that some faceless commentators are pitching their tents with an alleged criminal who unleashed terror on officers of the EFCC in their line of duty.
The EFCC explained that Salisu, alongside other investigators of the EFCC, were at Dr. J.O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, to arrest some suspected internet fraudsters in the early hours of Friday.
The operation was duly documented at the Anambra State Command Headquarters and Area Command of the Nigeria Police in line with operational protocols.
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The operation was initially smooth with 37 suspected internet fraudsters already arrested at a two-storey building housing Ikechukwu and other occupants of the house.
However, Ikechukwu, who sighted the investigators through a CCTV Camera mounted at his doorpost and who also confessed sighting them, declined to open his door for the investigators who politely demanded entrance to his apartment.
Defying all the introduction and physical sighting of the investigators, he resorted to firing shots at them and killed Salisu in the process and wounded another officer detailed to conduct a search in his apartment.
Preliminary investigations showed that Ikechukwu was involved in coding and online medical supplies of doubtful legitimacy. Two laptops, ipads, several recording devices were recovered from his apartment and his involvement in internet fraud is already established.
Though currently in police custody owing to the murderous dimension of his case, the Commission will surely bring him to trial.
The EFCC also alerts the public that the activities of internet fraudsters are becoming patently hazardous to public safety and security as intelligence has shown that these criminals are carrying arms, involved in kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings and other deadly acts and not just mere Yahoo boys and girls.
The EFCC emphasizes that every subsequent attack on any of its officers will be met with the force of the law and it will not fold its arms and allow any of its officers to be killed again in cold blood.
While it mourns the loss of its officer who paid the supreme price in the service of the nation, the Commission appreciates the support, condolences and prompt response of sister agencies and well-meaning individuals standing shoulder to shoulder with it at this trying time as it stresses that the Commission is unrelenting in riding the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
