The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has condemned the killing of its officer, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Aminu Salisu, during an operation in Awka, Anambra State on Friday.
Its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, who said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, vowed that the perpetrators would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Oyewale explained that Salisu was fatally shot on January 17, during a legitimate operation in Awka, Anambra State.
According to him, Salisu and his colleagues were carrying out an early-morning raid at Dr J.O. Ukwutinife Close in Ifite, Awka, targeting a two-storey building housing 37 suspected internet fraudsters.
He said while the operation initially proceeded smoothly, the situation escalated when a suspected internet fraudster, Joshua Ikechukwu, alerted by CCTV surveillance, refused to open his door to the investigators.
He stated that in spite of their polite attempts to gain entry, Ikechukwu resorted to pulling the trigger of his gun, killing Salisu and injuring another officer.
Oyewale, therefore, condemned comments on social media concerning the tragic loss of the officer.
He expressed the commission’s concern over the irresponsible, callous, inhuman and outrageous narratives being circulated on social media on the whys and wherefores of the fatal accident.
”It is heinous to reduce the death of a gallant officer who was carrying out patriotic and official duties to social media razzmatazz.
“More worrisome is the fact 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.
”There is no justification whatsoever to rationalise a murderous act.”
He said that 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.”
He warned that every subsequent attack on any of the EFCC’s officers would be met with the force of the law.
”The Commission will not fold its arms and allow any of its officers to be killed again in cold blood.
”As a law enforcement agency of repute, the EFCC is unrelenting in riding the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption.”
He also alerted the public that the activities of internet fraudsters were becoming patently hazardous to public safety and security.
He said that intelligence had shown that these criminals were carrying arms, involved in kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings and other deadly acts.
The public should not fold its arms or allow itself to be deceived that they are mere “Yahoo boys and girls”.
