For stories, adverts, & ENQUIRIES, wHATSAPP US @ +2347036240302
Crime: EFCC Parades Ex-Soldier and Driver for Impersonating Anti-Graft Officers, Extorting Nigerians
EFCC Parades Ex-Soldier, Driver For Allegedly Impersonating Anti-Graft Officers, Extorting Nigerians
CRIME
The Nigerian Record
5/30/20261 min read
May 30, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a notorious extortion syndicate operating in the South-East region, where members allegedly impersonated EFCC operatives to harass and extort money from young Nigerians.
The anti-graft agency made the announcement on Saturday, May 30, 2026, releasing a video documentary that exposes the faces of the syndicate’s ringleader, Haruna Mamuda — a dismissed military personnel — and his driver and accomplice, Salifu Mustafa.
According to the EFCC, the duo had been running a lucrative blackmail ring for a considerable period. They allegedly leveraged Mamuda’s military background, fake tactical gear, and forged identity documents to intimidate victims, bypass security checks, and carry out illegal “raids” on young men, particularly those seen with laptops or smartphones.
The video shows Mamuda and Mustafa aggressively cornering and profiling defenseless youths during one of their unauthorized operations. The EFCC described the arrests as the result of intelligence-led operations that eventually busted their hideouts.
"Here is the face of an impostor; a dismissed military personnel parading himself as an EFCC officer," the commission stated in the documentary.
The agency further warned the public about the rising trend of individuals impersonating law enforcement agents to extort citizens. In a strong public advisory, the EFCC urged Nigerians not to panic or negotiate settlements when approached by suspected fake officers.
EFCC Public Advisory:
Legitimate EFCC officers do not negotiate cases in hotels, on the roadside, or at private residences.
Always insist on being taken to the nearest official EFCC zonal command office.
The Commission has zero tolerance for corruption and extortion.
The suspects are currently being held at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Command, where authorities are conducting a thorough audit of their bank accounts to trace the extent of funds extorted over the years. They will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.
This development comes amid growing public concern over the profiling and harassment of young Nigerians by fake anti-fraud agents.