A top investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on June 24, 2017 escaped death by the whiskers when gunmen opened fire on him in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Mr. Austin Okwor an operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in Port Harcourt, had closed late for the day and as he left office, he was suddenly accosted by a gang of daredevil hoodlums who opened fire on him. Luckily for him, he was able to shake off his assailants but not without sustaining some bullet wounds as they kept firing at him. He was rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is receiving treatment. According to Ishaq Salihu, Head of the Zonal office, the incident has already been reported to the Police in Port Harcourt.
According to a statement by the Commission’s Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, Mr. Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials.
Before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages. One of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the Police.
This incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the Commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties.
In 2010, precisely September 14, the head of the Commission’s Forensic Unit, Abdullahi Muazu was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Kaduna. Six months earlier a team of prosecutors returning to Enugu after a court appearance in Owerri, Imo state was attacked by gunmen who opened fire on them. Sergeant Eze Edoga the police escort was cut down while a senior counsel with the Commission, Joseph Uzor was critically wounded but survived.
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