21st October, 2010
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, this morning informed the general public of the rising wave of bomb threats which it had received against the Commission and her top officials including the Executive Chairman of the anti graft agency, Mrs. Farida Waziri.
In a release issued to newsmen during a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the head of media and publicity at the Commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, warned those behind the threats that they will be smoked out of their hidding places and be treated as terrorists.
Babafemi stated that the Commission’s Chairman has come under intense threats recently from people suspected to be under the commission’s investigations.
He informed that shadowy groups sent text messages to some media executives warning of imminent bomb attack on the commission and her top officials in a manner reminiscient of the October 1 bomb blasts in Abuja.
In one of the messages, according to Babafemi, the group warned inniocent ones to vacate the EFCC building, National Assembly complex and other public buildings in the FCT.
He further stated that the un-named shadowy group accused the Commission Chairman of “wickeding” poor masses for nothing in the name of fighting corruption.
In another message, Babafemi stated that the group threatened to bomb the commission on 6 November and accused the anti-graft agency of blocking the accounts of the companies involved in the N5.2 billion Rural Electrification Agency contract scam since 2008.
The commission warned that it will not leave any stone unturned in collaborating with security agencies to fish out those behind the threats whom it said will be treated as terrorists.
—Nnamdi Felix/Abuja