EFCC parades three persons including a police inspector

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has paraded three persons — including a police inspector — for impersonating operatives of the agency. The Cable had reported how residents of New Horizon Estate in Lagos had nabbed two “fake” officials, while another individual, recognized as a police officer. The three guys were said to have stormed the estate with fake EFCC identity cards and that which seemed to be a court record ordering forfeiture of a house.

A resident of the estate, Samuel Otigba, had uttered the episode in a Twitter post on Wednesday, also said the men were handed over to EFCC. Confirming the episode on Thursday, the anti-graft agency identified members of this three-man gang as Pascal Ugwu Chijoke, Sodiq Ibrahim Adekunle, and Edwin Bassey — a police inspector. The agency warned Nigerians to become wary of impostors who use the identity of the commission to extort unsuspecting members of the public.

“The fraudsters were arrested at New Horizon Estate, Lekki, Lagos, at the center of the illegal operation to function a Court Order purported to have emanated in the Mushin Magistrate Court, on an unsuspecting victim,” Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said in a statement.

“The three-man gang of Pascal Ugwu Chijoke, Sodiq Ibrahim Adekunle and Edwin Bassey, a Police Inspector, posing as EFCC operatives allegedly stormed the house of their target with all the paraphernalia of average EFCC raid, wearing imitation EFCC branded coats and identity cards.

“Ahmed warned Nigerians to be skeptical of impostors, using the fantastic name of the Commission to extort unsuspecting goals. He encouraged citizens to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the Commission.”