THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested one of its operatives, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, who is a Deputy Detective Superintendent for allegedly collecting $150,000 (about N45 million) from some military officers currently under investigation for their involvement in the arms procurement scam.
He promised to give the unnamed seven military officers soft landing to escape probe in the $2.1billion arms scandal.
A statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said documents relating to the ongoing arms scandal investigation were recovered from the suspect.
The statement said: “An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, a Deputy Detective Superintendent, (DDS) has been arrested for offences bordering on extortion, influence peddling and impersonation.
“The officer was arrested on Monday following intelligence report alleging that he extorted a whopping sum of $150,000 from some military officers on the pretext that he would help give them a soft landing in the ongoing investigation into the arms deal scandal.
“Upon his arrest, a search was executed on his residence in Abuja where the following items were recovered: $20,000 cash, N500, 000 cash, two police uniforms bearing his name with the ranks of Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, Police warrant card No: 27/2014 with the rank of DSP allegedly obtained from Kano Constabulary office, documents relating to military arms investigation and account information of several senior military officers.
“A search of his car parked in the premises yielded the following items: unbranded pistol with a magazine and 10 live ammunitions.
“His modus operandi includes dropping the names of ranking officers of the commission, claiming he was acting on their behalf.
A paper containing seven of such names was recovered in his house.
“The suspect has made useful statement, while investigation continues.”