How FIRS Director Was Arrested By EFCC After Collecting N5 Million Bribe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, announced on Friday that it had arrested Mr. Abumere Joseph Osagie, deputy director, regional tax office, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and his accomplice, in a case of abuse of office and bribery.

The suspect was picked up following a complaint about his attempt to extort a University proprietor N5 million, said a statement by spokesman Wilson Uwujaren of EFCC.

Uwujaren said Mr. Osagie and Mr. Jamila Ojora had on January 27, 2016, allegedly approached Senator Ahmed Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, and had given him a tax assessment of N20,029, 496.00 through a letter of intent, which he paid.

However, when he requested for the assessment certificate, they refused to oblige him. Instead they allegedly demanded for N5 million gratification. All pleas by him fell on deaf ears.

“Consequently, he petitioned the EFCC, and was advised to play along. Consequently, marked N5million was delivered to the director through Ojora in a sting operation. Ojora was arrested after she collected the N5m. Te confession led to the arrest of Osagie .

“The houses of the suspects were searched by operatives of the EFCC , and documents recovered,” EFCC said.