EFCC’s X (Twitter) Page Disappears After Supposed Threats by Suspected Internet Fraudsters

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) official X (formerly Twitter) handle, @officialEFCC, has vanished from the platform, leaving its 2.2 million followers in the dark.

As of Thursday morning, the EFCC’s handle was inaccessible, with a search of the page showing the message, “This account doesn’t exist.”

The sudden disappearance of the account has sparked speculation and concern, mainly as it follows closely on the heels of threats from suspected internet fraudsters.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s chief spokesman, confirmed the development, stating that the account has been down for three days.

He attributed the issue to a network problem and assured the public that the agency’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) department was working diligently to restore the account. “Our ICT department is working on it.

They have been on it for almost three days now,” Mr Oyewale told The Gazette on Wednesday night. “We are hoping it will come up again.”

The timing of the account’s disappearance has raised suspicions, as it coincides with threats made by a group of suspected internet fraudsters.

The individuals who aired their grievances on Reddit and other online forums accused the EFCC of disregarding constitutional norms in its crackdown on cybercrime.

Some commenters alleged that they had been extorted by anti-graft detectives and vowed to retaliate with cyber warfare against the agency. There have been protests by some youths and students against the alleged misconduct and extortion by the agency officials.

Recall the EFCC has intensified its campaign against online fraud, conducting raids on hotels and university dormitories to curb the growing trend.

While anti-corruption advocates have praised the agency’s efforts, human rights groups have expressed concern over the methods employed, accusing the EFCC of abusing suspects’ fundamental rights.

The controversy surrounding the EFCC’s operations peaked when Chairman Ola Olukoyede announced a ban on after-dark raids following a midnight bust at Obafemi Awolowo University that sparked a nationwide outcry.

However, the ban was short-lived, as agents resumed nighttime arrests with limited oversight.

As of Thursday morning, the EFCC’s main website and social media pages on Facebook and Instagram remained unaffected.

It remains unclear whether the disappearance of the X handle is a result of external interference, a sanction from X for potential violations, or a deliberate deactivation by those managing the account.

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