An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, deputy detective superintendent, DDS, has been arrested for offences bordering on extortion, influence peddling and personation.
The officer was arrested on Monday January 25, 2016 following intelligence report alleging that he extorted the whopping sum of $150,000 from some Military officers on the pretext that he would help give them a soft landing in the ongoing investigation into the arms deal scandal.
Upon his arrest, a search was executed on his residence in Abuja where the following items were recovered: $20,000 cash, N500, 000 cash, two police uniforms bearing his name with the ranks of Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, Police warrant card No: 27/2014 with the rank of DSP allegedly obtained from Kano Constabulary office, documents relating to military arms investigation and account information of several senior military officers.
A search of his car parked in the premises yielded the following items: unbranded pistol with a magazine and ten live ammunitions.
His modus operandi includes dropping the names of ranking officers of the Commission, claiming he was acting on their behalf. A paper containing seven of such names was recovered in his house.
The suspect has made useful statement, while investigation continues
Also, EFCC, has arrested Abumere Joseph Osagie, deputy director, regional tax office, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, in a case of abuse of office and bribery.
The suspect was picked following a complaint about his attempt to extort a University proprietor N5million.
Osagie and one Jamila Ojora had on January 27, 2016 allegedly approached Senator Ahmed Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and given him a tax assessment of N20,029, 496.00 through a letter of intent, which he paid.
However when he requested for the assessment certificate, they refused to oblige him. Instead they allegedly demanded N5million gratification. All pleas by him fell on deaf ears. Consequently, he petitioned the EFCC, and was advised to play along. Consequently, marked N5million was delivered to the director through Ojora in a sting operation. Ojora was arrested after she collected the N5m. Her confession led to the arrest of Osagie .
The houses of the suspects were searched by operatives of the EFCC ,and documents recovered.
Investigations continue.
