The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised an alarm over a growing trend of criminal elements impersonating its officers to defraud and harass unsuspecting members of the public.
In a statement issued on April 21, 2026, the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the Commission had uncovered “increasing waves of attack on its image by criminal characters parading themselves as officers of the Commission in different guises.”
According to him, intelligence reports indicate that fraudsters are deploying “ingenious but fraudulent means” to tarnish the reputation of the anti-graft agency.
Oyewale revealed that one group of impostors operates around popular eateries and recreational spots in major cities, where they ambush young people, falsely accuse them of internet fraud, and dispossess them of their valuables.
“Their modus operandi is laying an ambush for innocent youths coming out of eateries and harassing them on unfounded suspicions of being internet fraudsters,” he said. “These characters usually portray the identities of authentic EFCC officers by dressing in fake uniforms and moving their victims to locations bearing fictitious resemblance to an EFCC office.”
He added that another gang targets motorists, using their vehicle number plates as a pretext for harassment. These suspects, often armed, allegedly intimidate victims into parting with money based on fabricated accusations.
The EFCC spokesperson also warned about online impersonators and content creators who stage fake “sting operations,” using visuals such as broken doors and forced entry scenes to mimic official EFCC raids.
“Such uncharacteristic portrayals of the EFCC could deceive unsuspecting members of the public into holding the Commission and its officers culpable of contrived actions of impersonators,” Oyewale said.
He urged Nigerians to exercise caution when evaluating claims or encounters involving individuals posing as EFCC operatives, stressing that the Commission follows established standard operating procedures in all its activities.
“The public is enjoined to be circumspect in its evaluation of claims intended to drag the Commission’s image into the mud,” he stated, adding that appropriate channels exist for reporting grievances against EFCC operations or personnel.
Oyewale reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to its mandate of combating economic and financial crimes, urging Nigerians not to allow the actions of impersonators and fraudsters to undermine confidence in the agency.
“The EFCC is steadfastly pursuing its mandate of ridding the nation of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption,” he said. “Well-meaning Nigerians should not allow their judgment of the works of the Commission to be negatively affected by the activities of these impersonators, blackmailers and fake characters.”
