The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted the public to the activities of some of its former officials who are extort money from unsuspecting members of the public under the guise of still being in the employ of the organisation.
The commission in a statement issued on Thursday by its Acting Spokesman, Tony Orilade, said “the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been drawn to the activities of some former staff of the EFCC still parading themselves as being in the employ of the Commission, and using this means to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
“Preliminary investigation shows that some of the fraudsters brandish seemingly authentic Identity Cards as staff of the Commission to prey on their prospective victims. They make monetary demands and in return give promises to help stall ongoing corruption investigation, or promise to help secure employment for some people or their loved ones in the Commission,” the statement said.
The commission also noted that investigation also revealed that some Identity Cards being paraded by the hoodlums are those of members of staff who have earlier reported them as lost or stolen at gunpoint and got Police Reports to be able to get replacements from the Human Resources Unit of the Commission.
“Besides, some extortionists also design and print fake identity cards with which they carry out their blackmail and extortion activities.
“While measures are being put in place to curtail the activities of these fraudsters, members of the public are hereby advised to also desist from patronising anyone who drops the name of an EFCC officer with a promise to help resolve an ongoing fraud case, or for employment purposes,” the statement added.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
