An officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was killed and another critically injured on Friday morning in a violent encounter with suspected internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as Yahoo Boys, in Anambra State.
The officers, who were on a mission to apprehend the suspects, were ambushed and attacked during their operation.
The tragic incident occurred as the operatives, deployed from the EFCC’s zonal headquarters in Enugu, sought to arrest the cybercrime suspects.
The fatal attack claimed the life of an assistant superintendent of the EFCC, who had recently passed a promotional examination. The injured officer remains in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital as of Friday night.
A male suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident, though his identity has not yet been disclosed. It remains unclear whether the suspect has legal representation.
Efforts to obtain comments from EFCC and police spokespersons were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The attack highlights growing concerns over the safety of anti-graft officials. Traditionally, Yahoo Boys have been perceived as unarmed and easy to apprehend.
However, this incident has prompted fears that cybercriminals are adopting more violent methods to evade justice.
“We no longer have life insurance,” an EFCC officer lamented, speaking anonymously to The Punch.
“The last time an officer’s family was compensated for a death on duty was during Farida Waziri’s tenure as chairman.”
Another officer expressed frustration, stating, “The families of officers who die in the line of duty no longer receive any form of compensation. This means he died for nothing.”
The attack comes amid ongoing reforms by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to recalibrate the agency’s approach to combating white-collar crime.
The chairman is reportedly considering enhanced security measures for operatives engaged in field operations.
The EFCC has yet to formally release a statement on the incident, but sources indicate that investigations are ongoing to ensure justice for the fallen officer.
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