Olayomi Koiki
In another internal scandal, an officer of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has allegedly absconded with over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits.
Earlier in January, the anti-graft agency said it had detained 10 officers in Lagos over theft of operational items they could not account for. The EFCC refused to disclose the specific items stolen by the officials, but an independent investigation by a local news outlet revealed that they stole gold bars worth over N1billion as well as over $180,000 and about £140,000.
In the latest scandal, it was gathered that a officer in charge of Kaduna Zonal Office’s exhibit room, simply identified as Polycarp, vanished into a thin air when he failed to account for over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits.
The zonal director, Benedict Ubi, a couple of weeks ago ordered for an audit of the directorate’s exhibit room, following the internal heist that occurred in Lagos.
When Mr Polycarp received the directive that the exhibit room would be audited, he took an excuse to ease himself and fled, DAILY NIGERIAN reported, citing internal sources.
“Immediately after the order for the audit was given, he took an excuse to ease himself. Efforts were made to contact him but all his telephone lines were switched off.
“This is only what the preliminary audit on foreign currency shows. There are chances that more could be uncovered after a thorough audit of the exhibit room,” said a source familiar with the development.
According to the local news outlet, the agency has launched a manhunt to trace the fleeing officer’s whereabouts.
The EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale could not be reached for comment.
Follow the KOIKIMEDIA NEWS 🗞️ CHANNEL on WhatsApp