By Ife Osemedua
As exclusively reported in December 2020, by 365Daily, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), continues to struggle under the ravaging impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As gathered by 365Daily, the anti-crime commission is currently working at less than half of its usual staff capacity, as a result of the prevalence of the Coronavirus infections among the EFCC employees in its Headquarters in Abuja.
While a number of the management and staff came down with the virus during the yuletide season, leading to a directive that many of the workers should work from home, many more tested positive to the virus in January and are currently going through treatment and isolation protocols.
In spite of the enhanced prevention measures put in place by the Commission to protect its environment and staff from the virus, it appears it’s not yet Uhuru for the agency, as regards the rampaging virus.
365Daily’s earlier news article is reproduced hereunder:
“This is not the best of times for the management and staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as the second wave of the dreaded COVID-19 appears to be hitting hard on the headquarters of the anti-crime agency.
“While many people were in high spirits preparing for the Yuletide season, there was palpable fear and apprehension in the organisation, as news filtered in that a number of EFCC staffers in Abuja had tested positive to Coronavirus.
“365Daily gathered from inside sources that the Commission, located at Jabi area of Abuja, was subsequently forced to shut down, even before the commencement of Christmas break, due to the unfortunate development.
“Several people were said to have been affected in different departments and units, including some management staff and field operatives.
“For instance, 365Daily gathered that at least two people tested positive to the virus in the Human Resource Department, Forensic Department and Media Unit, respectively, within the same period, giving rise to fears and speculations of a possible widespread of the virus in the Commission.
“This development forced the management to issue a directive that all EFCC staffers that operate from the Abuja headquarters should work from home, even before the federal government’s recent order that civil servants of grade level 12 and below should stay off duty for five weeks.
“It is feared that with the number of people that tested positive to COVID-19 in the days before Christmas in the Commission, many more staffers may have contracted the virus before the directive to stay off duty was given.’