Following the recent tragic death of an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officer, the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has urged operatives to engage in fasting and prayer. This call came after the tragic incident in Anambra State, where an EFCC officer, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE 1 Aminu Sahabi Salisu, was killed.
The officer was shot during a raid in Awka, Anambra State, and SaharaReporters confirmed that the suspect, identified as Joshua Chukwubueze Ikechukwu, was apprehended shortly after the incident while hiding in a neighbor’s ceiling. The EFCC officer was later flown to Sokoto State for burial.
Following the incident, sources revealed that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, instructed operatives to fast and pray after some expressed concerns about conducting night raids without proper safety gear. Operatives insisted that they would not engage in such activities unless provided with bulletproof vests, night goggles, and sufficient security cover.
In response to these concerns, Olukoyede held a Zoom meeting with operatives from several zones, offering assurances to improve office conditions and morale. Despite these reassurances, some operatives voiced their frustration, feeling that the Chairman’s response was inadequate. One source remarked that they felt insulted by Olukoyede’s request for fasting and prayer, emphasizing that it was essential for operatives to be properly equipped to tackle corruption, not just rely on faith.
“Days after Salisu’s death, the Chairman told us to fast and pray, even though we’ve made it clear that we won’t carry out night raids unless we are provided with proper gear,” one source said. “It’s about being equipped for the job, not about faith,” another source added.
Further complaints surfaced about the lack of basic resources, including letterhead papers and electricity in certain zones, which hindered operatives’ ability to effectively address petitions. Some also accused Olukoyede of prioritizing lawyers over trained operatives in the handling of EFCC matters.
Efforts to contact the EFCC for a comment on these issues were unsuccessful, as the mobile line of its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, was unavailable.
In a separate development, the EFCC announced on Sunday that it had named the administrative block of its Academy in Karu, Abuja, after Salisu to honor his sacrifice. Olukoyede made the announcement during the EFCC’s Annual Rewards and Recognition Ceremony, held on January 25, 2025. He described Salisu as a “gallant officer” who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation, and emphasized that his memory would be kept alive through this gesture.
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