By Abdulahmeed Abdulrozaq Bilal | Fact Frontier.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a social media user, Udoma David Ekeh, for publishing false claims that operatives of the commission were abducted by bandits during an operation in Kwara State. Further investigations have also linked the suspect to an alleged romance scam.
The arrest was confirmed in statements issued by the commission’s spokespersons, Dr. Suleiman Haruna, Director of Public Relations and Protocol, and Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity. According to the EFCC, the suspect, who operates on TikTok under the handle @davysoft231, posted a video in December 2025 in which he falsely asserted that personnel of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the commission were kidnapped in the course of a raid and that a ransom was demanded for their release.
The video subsequently went viral, recording over 138,000 views, 6,526 likes, and 533 comments. In the recording, which was delivered in a mix of English and Pidgin, the suspect made derogatory remarks about the operational capacity of the EFCC and urged the alleged kidnappers to demand a substantial ransom.
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In a statement, Dele Oyewale described the claims as entirely fabricated and noted that they were calculated to incite public apprehension and undermine confidence in the commission’s anti-corruption mandate. He stated:
“All his claims are fabricated, together with the use of his TikTok account to incite and misinform the public about the Commission’s relentless efforts in tackling the menace of internet fraud.”
The commission further clarified that no such incident involving the abduction of its operatives occurred in Kwara State or any other location. It emphasized that the dissemination of false information regarding the activities of security and law enforcement agencies constitutes a serious infraction, capable of endangering public order and eroding trust in national institutions.
Following the arrest, preliminary investigations reportedly uncovered additional allegations of cyber-enabled fraud against the suspect. According to the EFCC, Ekeh was found to have operated a Facebook account under the fictitious identity of “Garg Carta,” through which he allegedly engaged in romance fraud by impersonating a foreign national to deceive victims.
The commission has stated that the suspect will be charged before a competent court of law upon the conclusion of investigations. It reiterated its commitment to holding individuals accountable for the spread of false information, particularly when such conduct is intended to disrupt public peace or malign the operations of statutory agencies.
As of the time of this report, Ekeh remains in the custody of the EFCC, with formal charges anticipated in the coming weeks.
