In the wake of the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa as the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Federal Government, the commission has announced the appointment of Abdulkarim Chukkol as the Acting Chairman.
The news was shared through an official post on the EFCC's verified Facebook page on Thursday, June 15, 2023.
Chukkol, who previously served as the Director of Operations at the EFCC, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He is widely recognised as a highly skilled investigator, specialising in cybercrime and money laundering. Having been part of the EFCC since its early days, Chukkol was a member of the inaugural EFCC Cadet Course One.
Throughout his career, Chukkol has held various command positions within the Commission. He served as the Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections at both the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands from 2011 to 2016. In 2017, he became the pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command and, in 2020, assumed the position of Commander of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command.
Chukkol has actively participated in numerous joint operations with international law enforcement agencies and has fostered close relationships with organisations such as the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Secret Service, Australian Federal Police, Dutch Police, German Police, and South African Police, among others.
He has been instrumental in collaborating with other governments to develop laws and infrastructure for effective law enforcement actions. Notably, Chukkol serves as Nigeria's contact person at the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group, representing key government regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, prosecution entities, immigration and customs departments, financial intelligence units, consumer protection agencies, as well as trade and competition bureaus. This role has allowed him to address mass marketing-related issues in conjunction with stakeholders from Spain, Nigeria, Belgium, Europol, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Chukkol's dedication to professional growth is evident through his participation in numerous courses, seminars, and workshops on public corruption, advance fee fraud, and other economic and financial crimes, both domestically and internationally. In 2022, he attended the prestigious Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Additionally, he holds a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maiduguri (2000), a Post Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia in the United States, and a Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute in Washington DC.
His notable achievements and initiatives over the years have earned him several awards and commendations, both within Nigeria and internationally. The EFCC recognised his exceptional performance with the "Most Outstanding Award in Operations," while the United States Department of Justice honored him with the "Outstanding Performance Award," among other accolades.