The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested one of its officials for allegedly collecting a N15 million bribe.

Spokesman of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Uwajuren stated that Uzodinma Agbazue, a deputy detective superintendent in the agency, was arrested after a lawmaker who is under investigation brought a complaint against him.

According to the EFCC spokesman, the complainant had alleged that Agbazue approached him, saying that he had been mandated by the officer handling the case to discuss and reach an agreement on how to “kill the case”.

“Following the approach, a sum of N15 million was given to Agbazue whose game plan collapsed after the Investigating officer, who was ignorant of his scheme, refused to do his bidding,” Uwujaren stated.

“With the investigation gathering increased momentum after parting with the hefty sum, the complainant became uncomfortable and demanded a refund.

“The complainant stated that, when he requested for the refund of his money, Agbazue only returned N5 million claiming that the balance of N10 million had been given to someone ‘to kill the case from the top’.”

Uwajuren also stated that the lawmaker claimed that Agbazue had on a different occasion collected N1 million from him as assistance to settle his wife’s medical bill.

He said the agent’s action contravened the commission’s “mandate and ideals as the EFCC will not solicit or accept gratification from a suspect to compromise a case under investigation,” EFCC said.

“The suspect will be subjected to administrative action as precursor to possible prosecution at the end of the investigation,” the statement concluded.