BREAKING: Top EFCC's investigator Austin Okwor shot
- A top investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Austin Okwor has been shot
- Austin Okwor was shot several times by some unknown gunmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital
- The attack happened after Okwor had received several threats concerning his job activities
An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Austin Okwor has been shot.
Okwor, the EFCC said, was shot on Saturday, June 24 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
A statement by the EFCC's spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren said Okwor, an operative in the Property Fraud Section of the commission's Zonal office in Port Harcourt "escaped death by the whisker when gunmen opened fire on him".
Austin Okwor was shot several time by some unknown gunmen in port Harcourt, Rivers state
Uwujaren said the investigator had closed work late on Saturday, and was suddenly accosted by hoodlums immediately he left the office.
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He said the investigator who sustained various gunshot wounds successfully escaped from his attackers who kept firing at him.
He was later rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is currently receiving treatment.
The commission said the incident has also been reported to the police in the city.
Uwujaren also said the attack could not be unconnected with threats received by Okwor.
He said: "Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials."
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"Before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages. One of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the Police.
"This incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the Commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties," Uwujaren said.
He also said that on September 14, 2010, the head of the EFCC's forensic unit Abdullahi Muazu was shot dead by gunmen in Kaduna.
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Also a team of the commission's prosecutors returning from Enugu after a court appearance in Owerri were attacked by some gunmen six months ago.
Uwujaren said the gunmen opened fire on them killing a police escort sergeant Eze Edoga while a senior counsel with the commission Joseph Uzor who survived the attack was critically wounded.
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