The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised alarm over the increasing activities of criminals impersonating its personnel across parts of the country.
In a statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the Commission said intelligence reports indicate that fraudulent individuals are adopting various deceptive tactics to mislead and extort members of the public while damaging the agency’s reputation.
According to the EFCC, some of the impostors operate around popular restaurants and entertainment centres in major cities, where they allegedly target young people leaving such venues. The suspects reportedly accuse victims of being internet fraudsters, intimidate them, and dispossess them of their valuables.
The Commission also warned that some of these criminals wear fake insignia and transport victims to locations falsely presented as EFCC offices, where they continue the impersonation and extortion.
In addition, the agency cautioned against online content creators who stage fake EFCC “sting operations” using staged scenes such as broken doors and forced entries to mislead the public.
The statement further highlighted cases of armed gangs stopping motorists, questioning them based on vehicle plate numbers, and extorting money under false accusations.
The EFCC urged Nigerians to be vigilant and verify any encounter involving alleged operatives, stressing that its officers operate strictly under established procedures and lawful protocols.
It added that while the Commission remains committed to tackling financial and economic crimes, citizens must not allow criminal impersonators to undermine public trust in its operations.
