The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is probing 10 senior officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps over an alleged N7.5bn fraud.

The anti-graft agency has also invited 10 contractors linked with the alleged fraud.

The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier invited the 10 indicted NSCDC officers for questioning.

The 10 invited NSCDC officers are – Victor Olanrewaju Fayemi, Anthony Akpan Uwen, Patrick Babatunde, Comfort Danladi,  Akibi Michael Olusola, Umaru Usman Karshi, Adewale Kukoyi, Joseph Ajayi Ibitulo, and Mrs A.A. Jonathan, Paul Ahepa, the EFCC invitation revealed.

The alleged N7.5bn fraud was linked to several contractors and the monies traced to some Bureau de Change operators through whom the senior NSCDC officers allegedly laundered the money.

A source close to the agency who pleaded anonymity according to the Punch report said, “The EFCC is investigating the alleged diversion of N7.5bn by contractors working with the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi.

“The funds shared to contractors’ accounts have been identified and linked to BDC operators, all of whom were invited and have been grilled by the EFCC interrogators.”

A source noted, “EFCC investigators discovered that payments were made to a total of 20 contractors, while the sum of N2bn was allocated to three major contractors each of whom own five companies. Each of the contractors received a retention fee of five per cent. The EFCC has sent invitation letters to the contractors.

“All the contractors have been interrogated except for the only woman amongst them who has been working tirelessly to avoid interrogation. The woman received over N1bn, and all the funds were discovered to have been converted to US dollars.”

Both the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, and the mouthpiece for the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, could not be reached for comments.