EFCC’s X account disappears amid cyber-attack threats from ‘yahoo boys’

The official Twitter account of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has unexpectedly disappeared from X, formerly known as Twitter, causing widespread confusion among Nigerians.

This sudden disappearance follows closely after alleged internet fraudsters, known as “Yahoo Boys,” threatened to wage a cyber war against the anti-corruption agency.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed that the @officialEFCC handle has been offline for three days. He attributed the issue to a technical problem, reassuring the public that the agency’s ICT team is diligently working to resolve it.

“Our ICT department has been on this for almost three days now,” Mr. Oyewale told The Gazette on Wednesday night. “We’re hopeful it will be back online soon.”

A search by thediscovererng.com on Thursday morning confirmed the account’s absence from the platform.

The situation arises just days after a group of self-identified Yahoo Boys issued threats to disrupt the EFCC’s digital operations. These threats, which appeared on platforms like Reddit, claimed the agency had overstepped its bounds in its crackdown on questionable online activities by Nigerians, with some commenters alleging they had been extorted by EFCC operatives.

In recent months, the EFCC has ramped up its efforts to combat cybercrime, conducting raids on hotels and university dormitories in a bid to curb activities that, according to anti-corruption advocates, have tarnished Nigeria’s international reputation. However, these aggressive measures have drawn criticism from human rights groups, who argue that the EFCC’s tactics often violate the basic rights of those involved. The controversy peaked following a midnight raid at Obafemi Awolowo University, which led to public outcry. Although EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede announced a temporary halt to such late-night operations, reports suggest the raids soon resumed.

It remains unclear whether the EFCC’s Twitter account was deactivated by the agency itself or if it was taken down by X for violating the platform’s policies. As of now, the EFCC’s website and other social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram remain active.