Following a dawn attack, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(
EFCC) has decided to relocate its annex office handling sensitive cases.
Also, while the Nigeria Police Force intensified its investigation of
the attack, the anti-graft agency was fingering high-profile suspects.
But the EFCC has started overhauling security in all its offices nationwide including the headquarters in Abuja
According to findings by our correspondent, the EFCC opted to relocate
its office from 30, Harper Crescent in Abuja after a review meeting on
the recent attacks on its operatives and office.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “As part of the
implications of the attack on our annex office and constant death
threats to our operatives, we have reviewed our security apparatchik.
“We have decided to relocate the office which was attacked to a safer place in Abuja. This relocation is with immediate effect.
“The Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has also directed all
Zonal directors of the commission to beef up security in all offices and
facilities.
“The commission had taken the steps in anticipation of the early completion of its headquarters.”
As at press time, no suspect had been arrested in connection with the Wednesday attack on EFCC annex office.
The top source added: “The police force is handling the probe, we have
left everything to their detectives to handle. We cannot be a judge in
our own case.”
But the source said the EFCC was suspecting some high-profile suspects
under investigation and some Politically Exposed Persons.
The source said: “We are working on clues implicating some some high-profile suspects and some Politically Exposed Persons.
“Some of these high-profile suspects had tried to influence EFCC leadership and operatives without any success.
“We cannot be intimidated under any guise at all. We will pursue all cases to logical conclusion.”
Some unknown gunmen, who invaded the annex office of the EFCC, also
dropped a death threat note for a senior investigator, Ishaku Sharu, who
heads the Foreign Exchange Malpractices Fraud.
In spite of its sensitive investigation and huge recovery, the EFCC has
been operating from make-shift offices and safe houses in Abuja.
Although the Federal Government on November 27, 2010 awarded the
contract for the EFCC permanent headquarters to Julius Berger Nigeria
Plc for N18.86 billion, the project could not be completed within the
three-year timeline.
Alleged paucity of funds delayed the completion of the project.
But the Federal Executive Council on April 26, 2017 approved additional N5 billion for the construction of the headquarters.
During a visit to the site, the Speaker, House of Representatives,
Yakubu Dogara, assured that the EFCC will move to its permanent
headquarters this year.
He said: “Our conviction is that where the EFCC currently operates does
not give the good impression to first time visitors in Nigeria or
people who come to Nigeria to interface with the agency as it is said
that first impression counts a lot. I will be the happiest person to see
that the EFCC resumes operation in the new building by December.”
