Fake EFCC officer arrested after scamming Nigerians of ₦3 million using agency's name

• A man identified as Nuhu Dahiru has been arrested in Borno for allegedly impersonating an EFCC officer.

• The EFCC says he obtained ₦3 million from members of the public by using the agency's name.

• Dahiru was arrested in Maiduguri after weeks of intelligence gathering and remains in custody as investigations continue.

A man has been taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after allegedly posing as one of its own officers to defraud members of the public in Borno State.

According to a statement released by the EFCC's Maiduguri Zonal Directorate, the suspect, identified as Nuhu Dahiru, was arrested at Tashan Bama along Bama Road in Maiduguri following weeks of intelligence gathering by the agency's operatives.

Investigators say Dahiru had been presenting himself to unsuspecting members of the public as a genuine EFCC official, using that false identity to extract money under the guise of official commission business. By the time of his arrest, he had allegedly obtained a total of ₦3 million through the scheme, an amount investigators say was recovered from him at the point of arrest.

Impersonating an EFCC operative is itself a criminal offence in Nigeria, separate from any underlying fraud carried out using the false identity. 

Under the EFCC's enabling laws, falsely claiming to be an officer of the commission, whether to intimidate, extort or defraud members of the public, can attract prosecution on its own, in addition to any charges tied to the money obtained through the impersonation. 

The commission has previously warned Nigerians to always verify the identity of anyone claiming to act on its behalf, noting that genuine officers can be confirmed through its official channels before any money or personal information is handed over

The EFCC said the operation was carried out after credible information reached its Maiduguri office pointing to Dahiru's activities in the area, prompting officers to move in and apprehend him.

In its statement, the commission framed the arrest as part of a broader effort to clamp down on individuals exploiting its name and reputation for personal financial gain, noting that such impersonation cases directly undermine public trust in the agency's legitimate operations.

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Dahiru is currently being held while investigations continue, and the EFCC says he will be formally charged to court once that process is completed. No date has yet been given for when charges are expected to be filed.

Cases of impersonation involving anti-graft and law enforcement agencies have remained a recurring problem in Nigeria, with fraudsters often relying on the fear and authority associated with such institutions to pressure victims into handing over money quickly, without verifying the individual's actual identity or credentials.