The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one of its drivers, Nasiru Isa for allegedly breaking into a sealed mansion of Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) with the intent of carting away valuables.

In a statement released by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC said a policeman, Corporal Aliyu Ismaila was also part of the suspects who tried to perpetrate the crime.

Other suspects include: Abubakar Jibrin, Abdulsalam Ado, Ibrahim Babangida, Reuben Dauda, Hassan Aliyu, Sani Yusuf and Murtala Mohammed.

The anti-graft agency said the syndicate specialises in breaking into properties sealed by the EFCC.

The statement read in part, “On August 30, 2016, operatives of the EFCC, as part of monitoring activities on the sealed property, had gone to the site to execute a search.

“However, members of the syndicate took to their heels on sighting the operatives of the anti-graft agency. A carpenter, Yakubu Muhammad, who was hired by the syndicate, was left behind and was subsequently arrested by the operatives.

“The carpenter, who has been cooperating with operatives, confessed that he was not in the know of the illicit activity, as he was only brought in by the syndicate to assist with the use of his carpentry tools to break into the property.”

The statement added, “Investigations revealed that one of those in the know about the goods was the brains behind the scheming to steal them. The syndicate decided they would need to subdue the security man at the property, which would mean they would need to involve security personnel in the syndicate.

“Subsequently, Isa was contacted. To further beef up the security aspect of the crime, he also contacted his friend, Ismaila, who came for the ‘operation’ fully armed. In perpetrating the crime, Dauda had posed to be a senior official of the EFCC, while Jibrin posed as an Intelligence Police officer in the Inspector General’s office.

“However, on August 30, 2016, they were caught in the act of breaking into the property, having successfully overpowered the security guard at the entrance of the property.”