IN SHORT: An officer of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency was shot dead during an operation in January 2025. Social media users in Nigeria have claimed the killer is a medical doctor. But the Nigerian Medical Association has denied this.
Aminu Salisu, an officer of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was killed during an arrest operation on 17 January 2025 in the south-eastern state of Anambra.
The EFCC is responsible for fighting economic and financial crimes in the country.
While social media users have questioned the legitimacy of the operation, they have also claimed that the alleged killer was a medical doctor.
Part of one post, dated 18 January, reads: “A Medical Doctor k!lled EFCC officer in Anambra, not Yahoo boys … said that he thought they were kidnappers.”
Over the years, the commission has been widely criticised for conducting night raids on homes, businesses and offices.
In November 2023, the EFCC banned night sting operations following the controversial arrest of university students at Obafemi Awolowo University in Osun state.
The commission has since been accused of carrying out night raids despite this ban.
The EFCC did not state the exact time of the operation that led to Salisu’s death.
The same claim can be found here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is the alleged killer a medical doctor? We checked.
‘He is not a medical doctor’ says doctors’ association
The Nigerian Medical Association, or NMA, has denied claims that the alleged killer is a doctor.
“The attention of the Leadership of NMA Anambra State has been drawn to the online & newspaper publications in which it was alleged that a medical doctor shot an @officialEFCC officer at Awka,” the NMA wrote on its official X account.
“He is NOT a member of NMA … He is NOT a Medical Doctor (not even an academic doctor) as widely published by the media though he deals on medical supplies and has been addressed as Doctor.”
The association also said the accused did not work at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital.
According to the EFCC, he “was involved in coding and online medical supplies”.
The claim that Salisu’s alleged killer is a medical doctor is false.
The same claim was found here, here, here, here, here and here.
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