‘Why we invaded Magu’s farm house, killed policeman’

Three Air Force (NAF) personnel and two civilians, who allegedly took part in the December 2017 attack on the Abuja farm house of Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, have been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

The robbery attack  was said to have caused the death of a police sergeant and the loss of two police rifles stolen by the five- man gang.

Explaining how they were able to penetrate the farm, a source said the gang’s members claimed that they were trying to enforce the Federal Government’s whistle-blowing policy, which was aimed at recovering stolen or misappropriated government funds.

The suspects were identified as Franklin Ochife, Inanegwu Omikpa, Awua Theophanous, Sunday Paul and Vincent Michael.

They were arrested separately by IRT operatives over the incident, while they claimed that they were not aware that the farm in question belonged to the Acting Chairman of EFCC at the time they invaded it.

They said they got the obviously wrong information that the owner of the farm, who they said was a top government official, stole government money and had kept the supposed  stolen money in a big container in his farm and ordered that the money be buried in septic tanks.

The suspects also claimed that the owner of the farm allegedly ordered everyone working and staying in the farm not to use the toilets in the farm.

They said further that they even tried to get the EFCC involved, but an official of the EFCC they spoke with warned them to be sure that money was truly buried inside the farm so as not to make the commission an an object of mockery.

They explained that they decided that they would break into the farm and ascertain that there was money in it before bringing in the EFCC.

Narrating how they got information about the money supposedly being kept in the farm house and how they brought in the three personnel of the Nigeria Air Force, 38-year-old, Frankly Ochife, a native of Otukpo, Benue State, said: “In November 2017, there was this bike rider living close to the farm, and he had easy access to the farm. One day, he came to me and said that a huge sum of money was being buried in a septic tank in the farm.

“He asked if I knew how to contact whistle-blowers because the money in the septic tank was so huge and the owner of the farm had instructed the people on the farm not to use any of the toilets.

“With that information, I became convinced that there was money hidden in the compound, and with the whistle-blowing policy still active, I believed that I would get 10 per cent of the money if I blew the whistle, which would be a very huge sum.

“I contacted my friend, Inanegwu, and informed him about it, and he advised me not to contact the police. He equally said we would use the military, and once they discovered the money, we would expose it and government would do the needful.

“He then brought one Cacidi and three soldiers. We had a meeting at Maraba and went to the farm house in two vehicles.

“When we got there, I alighted from the vehicle because I reside close to the house. I came down and started monitoring events from afar.

“But while I was there, I received a call from one Peter, the bike rider, and he told me to tell all the people at the farm house to leave, because one of the mobile policemen, who were posted to guard the house, had seen what was going on and had come to take him to the police station.

“I quickly called Inanegwu (Omikpa) and informed him about the development and left the spot. I didn’t see them until the next day. But Peter, the bike rider, called me the next day and said he had been informed that one of the policemen guarding the farm was dead.”

On his part, 35-year-old Omikpa, a native of Ohimini area of Benue State, said: “I am in business and schooling. I am married with two kids and was having a beautiful life until November 2017 when he told me that his friend  told him that there was a container filled with foreign currencies.

“I thought it was a lie, but he kept disturbing me, saying that his informant was so sure of the money in the septic tank.

“I then contacted my friend, an Air force personnel known as Anwa. I explained it to him and he showed interest.

“Before then, I had told my friend, Cacidi, and he advised that if we informed the EFCC, the matter would die completely. Then Cacidi said he had a friend known as Vincent who was also an Air Force personnel and he could assist us in securing the place so that the authorities would come and see the money.

“Awua (Theophanous) then said that he had a friend named Sunday, who had worked with the DSS before, and that he could bring him in. But he said we had to be careful and ensure that the money was truly in that farm before breaking into the compound.

“On December 12, 2017, we went to the compound in two vehicles. Then Anawa and his friend entered the compound and they came out angrily.

“When I entered, I saw a policeman tied to the ground. There was another civilian security guard coming and we also held him.

“At this point, Vincent started breaking the septic tank, and I also received a call from Franklin that another policeman who was outside was calling the police to the farm house.

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“So, while we were leaving, two police rifles were on the ground; Casidi and Vincent took them. They said they would sell the rifles and give us our own share.

“I did not know that the policeman who was tied was dead. I only got a call from Franklin, saying that one of the policemen was dead, and I saw the story in the news.

“On January 25, 2018, I was on my way back from church when I was arrested. I was shocked and I wanted to know why, but was asked to keep quiet; that there would be enough time for me to know why I was arrested when we reached the police station.”

In his own confession, Awua Theophanous (27), an indigene of Gboko, Benue State, said: “I am an Air Force personnel and I was enlisted in 2012. I am currently a corporal serving at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, as an engineer in the Logistics Department.

“He met me at the Mammy Market where I was drinking and told me that there was a farm where cows were reared and stolen money was buried there. He said he needed a whistle-blowing assistance and I told him that I didn’t know any one who worked at EFCC’s office, and that if I later found one, I would contact him. I didn’t know that the farm he was talking about belonged to an EFCC personnel.

“On December 2017, I was called to rectify an electrical fault in an office, and while I was working, a Brigadier-General came in and was asking the chief clerk in DRDB, and he said he wanted someone to accompany him to the office of the EFCC to dispatch a letter.

“The chief clerk called Sgt. Sunday Paul, who is also the clerk working in that office, and a friend, and asked them to follow the Brigadier-General to the office.

“Then I called Sergeant Paul and told him that one Inenagwu told me about a farm where money was kept, and I said he should enquire how the whistle-blowing works. When he returned, he told me that when he spoke with an official of the EFCC about the whistle-blowing policy, he said he was advised to make sure that the allegation that money is kept in the farm is confirmed and it does not cause an embarrassment for the EFCC.

“Then I called Inenagwu and told him that I had been able to establish contact with the EFCC, and they insisted that our information must be 100 per cent correct.

“Then he said if I was in doubt, the person who brought the information worked in the farm and he was ready to take us to the spot where the money was kept.