Air Force Reacts As Officers Clash With EFCC Operatives In Kaduna

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reacted to the clash between its personnel and operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kaduna State.

Naija News recalls that some Air Force officers invaded the Kaduna command of EFCC on Friday to secure the release of some of its personnel who were arrested by the anti-graft agency.

The suspects were, however, released hours after some NAF personnel stormed the EFCC facility in about three Hilux patrol vans, and surrounded the main gate, thereby preventing the EFCC officials from going in or out of the office.

The suspects were earlier arrested by the Kaduna State zonal office of the EFCC on Monday and remanded in the custody of the commission for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Reacting to the development, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the leadership of the force was still studying the incident.

“For now, still studying the issue,” Gabkwet told Daily Trust in a text message.

EFCC Explains Why It Arrestee Four NAF Officers

Meanwhile, the acting spokesman of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, who had earlier confirmed the incident, explained that the operatives of the agency exercised restraint in the face of the provocation and flagrant abuse of power by the NAF personnel.

Although he said the NAF officers were later released to the NAF Provost after they had been duly profiled, there was a communication breakdown between the leaderships of the two agencies.

Oyewale named the four Air Force personnel who invaded the EFCC office as Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Chidi Christian, Alfa Suleiman and Emmanuel Ekwozor, and two students of Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, AFIT: Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula.