Man posing as EFCC officer pleads guilty to impersonation

A man identified as Salifu Olije Mustapha has been arraigned and pleaded guilty before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kubwa, for allegedly impersonating an officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in Abuja.

The defendant was brought before Anna Akobi (Justice) on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, on a four-count charge bordering on impersonation, false representation, and related offences.

The case was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following an investigation into his alleged activities.

According to the EFCC, Mustapha had been arrested by its operatives after actionable intelligence linked him to a fraudulent scheme in which he allegedly posed as an EFCC officer.

He was reportedly spotted wearing a fake EFCC uniform alongside two accomplices while harassing motorists and extorting money from members of the public in Abuja.

He was specifically alleged to have operated around Sheriff Plaza in Wuse II, where he and his collaborators allegedly used intimidation tactics while pretending to be law enforcement officials.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, the charge sheet revealed that Mustapha allegedly also falsely presented himself as a Nigerian Air Force officer in a bid to lend credibility to his operations.

He was accused of aiding two other suspects, identified as Abubakar, who is currently at large and Haruna Mamuda, who is under investigation by another law enforcement agency, in carrying out the alleged scheme.

One of the counts presented before the court stated that the defendant allegedly conveyed the suspects in a Toyota Corolla with registration number KTU 399 GT while they were dressed in EFCC-style operational uniforms, with the intent of defrauding members of the public.

Another count accused him of impersonating a public servant and using that assumed identity to obtain money from unsuspecting victims.

When the charges were read to him in court, Mustapha reportedly pleaded guilty to all four counts, a development that prompted prosecuting counsel, R.U. Adaga, to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

Following the guilty plea, Akobi adjourned the matter to June 1, 2026, for sentencing.

The EFCC, in its statement, by Dele Oyewale, the agency Spokesman reaffirmed its commitment to clamping down on impersonators and fraudulent individuals who exploit the Commission’s identity to defraud citizens.

It warned that such acts undermine public trust and will be met with strict legal consequences.