The EFCC is set to prosecute Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel for breaching security protocols, following their attempt to release colleagues arrested for alleged fraud. The Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC revealed that after releasing the NAF personnel on administrative bail, they will face charges once the ongoing investigation concludes.
The detained NAF personnel had attempted to free their colleagues, who were apprehended for purported internet-related fraudulent activities at a Kaduna eatery. Among the intruders were four Air Force personnel—Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Christian, Alfa Suleiman, and Emmanuel Ekwozor—alongside two students from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula. Their intervention led to a security breach during the operation, resulting in their detention.
Despite efforts to resolve the issue through inter-agency discussions between the EFCC and the Nigerian Air Force leadership, tensions escalated when additional NAF officers attempted a forceful rescue of their detained colleagues on November 17, 2023. This prompted the EFCC to maintain composure and engage in continued dialogue with the NAF leadership, eventually releasing the detained officers to the NAF Provost after due profiling.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, emphasized the agency’s commitment to its mandate of combating economic and financial crimes, reaffirming its dedication to carrying out its responsibilities without impediments.