The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is facing another scandal, as an officer in charge of the exhibit room at the Kaduna Zonal Office allegedly stole over $30,000 and other valuable items.
Earlier in January, the EFCC revealed it had detained 10 officers in Lagos over the theft of operational items, including gold bars worth over N1 billion, $180,000, and GBP 140,000.
In the latest case, a staff member identified only as Polycarp disappeared after failing to account for the missing $30,000. Sources disclosed that the zonal director, Benedict Ubi, had recently ordered an audit of the exhibit room following the Lagos theft. When Polycarp was informed of the audit, he excused himself and fled.
Sources stated, “After the audit order, he took an excuse to leave and stopped answering his phone. The preliminary audit showed missing foreign currency, and further audits may reveal more.”
The EFCC has launched a manhunt for the missing officer.
This incident follows a 2019 case where an EFCC officer was indicted for accepting a $20,000 bribe at Lagos’ Murtala Mohammed Airport. Despite confessing, he was reinstated by then acting EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu. In 2021, another officer was dismissed after being caught in a leaked audio helping suspects avoid legal charges.
On January 6, the EFCC announced the dismissal of 27 officers for fraud and misconduct, though sources claim this reflects the total number of sacked staff since the agency’s founding in 2003.
Attempts to reach EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale for comment were unsuccessful.
