By Our Correspondent
An officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the Kaduna zonal office has reportedly vanished after allegedly stealing over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits from the agency’s exhibit room.
This incident comes shortly after the EFCC detained ten officers earlier this month in Lagos for allegedly misappropriating operational items, including gold bars worth over ₦1 billion and approximately $180,000.
Disappearance of Officer Polycarp
According to reports from Daily Nigerian, the suspect, identified as Polycarp, disappeared when asked to account for the missing $30,000. Sources within the commission revealed that the zonal director, Benedict Ubi, recently ordered an audit of the exhibit room in response to the Lagos scandal.
An insider, who requested anonymity, stated, “Immediately after the order for the audit was given, Polycarp asked to excuse himself. He never returned, and all attempts to reach him have been unsuccessful as his phone lines are switched off.”
The preliminary audit has confirmed the missing foreign currency, and sources speculate that more discrepancies could emerge once the audit is completed.
Manhunt Launched
The EFCC has reportedly initiated a manhunt to locate the fleeing officer.
Previous Scandals
This is not the first time the EFCC has faced internal theft allegations. In 2019, an officer was accused of accepting a $20,000 bribe from a businessman at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Despite confessing to the crime, the officer was reinstated by the then-acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu.
The EFCC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the current situation.
