The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied claims on social media that its staff took a selfie with Cubana Club boss, Obinna Iyiegbu, while he was in custody.
The EFCC said this in a statement on Friday titled, ‘Obi Cubana Did not Take Photo with EFCC Staff’ which was signed by its Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren.
Obi Cubana, who is being investigated for alleged money laundering and tax evasion, spent three days in EFCC custody before his release on Thursday evening.
In a photo which has gone viral on social media, Obi Cubana is seen taking a selfie with some military personnel.
Some of his fans believed the photo was taken in EFCC custody.
However, The PUNCH learnt that the photo was taken last month at the book launch of Col. Chukwu Obasi at the Nigerian Army Resource Center Asokoro, Abuja.
Reacting to the controversy, the EFCC said, “The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to fake news trending on social media with the caption, ‘EFCC Crew poses for quick photograph with billionaire socialite and businessman Obi Cubana’.
“The caption is as fake as any fake news can ever be because, at no time during his ongoing investigation, period in custody or release did Obi Cubana pose for photographs with EFCC staff.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore the fake news and misleading imputation which has been traced to the social media account of Sabi Radio (sabiradio), which first went to town with the fake news at 1.06 pm on November 5, 2021. Sabiradio’s watermark is telltale on the photograph.”
The commission threatened to take urgent steps to address this and other fake news seeking to drag its hard-won name and professional reputation in the mud.
(Punch)
