The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) finds itself embroiled in yet another scandal as a staff member in charge of the Kaduna Zonal Office’s exhibit room is believed to have made off with more than $30,000 and a range of other valuable items.
This latest incident comes just days after the anti-graft agency detained ten officers in Lagos for pilfering operational items they could not justify. Although the EFCC has been tight-lipped about the stolen items, investigations by DAILY NIGERIAN suggest that the officers absconded with gold bars valued at over N1 billion, along with more than $180,000 and approximately £140,000.
In this fresh turn of events, DAILY NIGERIAN has exclusively learned that a staff member, known only as Polycarp, mysteriously disappeared when he was unable to account for over $30,000. Insiders, wishing to remain anonymous, revealed that Zonal Director Benedict Ubi had ordered an audit of the exhibit room just weeks prior, prompted by the previous theft in Lagos.
Sources disclosed that upon hearing of the impending audit, Mr Polycarp claimed he needed to use the restroom—and then vanished without a trace. “As soon as the audit was announced, he hastily made his excuse. We tried to reach him, but all his phone lines were switched off,” one insider revealed.
“What we are seeing so far from the preliminary audit of foreign currency is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a strong likelihood that further discrepancies will emerge once a thorough review of the exhibit room is conducted,” the source added.
The EFCC has reportedly launched a manhunt to track down the fleeing officer. Efforts by DAILY NIGERIAN to obtain a statement from EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale were unsuccessful, as he neither answered calls nor replied to text messages sent to his mobile number.
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