Crime & SecurityNewsNigeriaEFCC Raid in Akure Sparks Fury: Protesters Accuse Officials of Brutality, Harassment

A recent raid conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a hotel and a club in Akure, the capital city of Ondo State, has sparked protests and outrage.

The raid, which took place in the early hours of Saturday, 8 June, resulted in the arrest of 127 suspected internet fraudsters, according to the EFCC.

“The alleged internet fraudsters were arrested in an early morning sting operation at a ‘Yahoo Party’ held simultaneously at Signature and Abah Clubs,” the agency’s statement noted.

However, eyewitnesses and owners of the affected hotels and clubs have condemned the raid as an act of brutality and harassment.

They alleged that the EFCC operatives stormed the premises, destroying property and brutalising customers, including a groom and his friends who were celebrating his bachelor’s eve.

The manager of the affected night club, the Signatures Elixir, Mr Ayo Abass-Akinwande, said, “At about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2024, the men of EFCC came into our premises. They were about 40 of them and they came with about 10 unregistered Toyota buses. The only thing that could be used to identify them was their red jackets and the guns.”

“After gaining access to our premises, they rounded everybody up and instructed them to lie down on the floor. Using snooker sticks to beat people to comply, Both male and female customers were dealt with mercilessly. Other members of their team went into the club and rounded everyone up, releasing tear gas in the process.”

“We were lucky to have adequate first aid materials on the premises that were used by our staff to rescue some of the customers who had various forms of medical emergencies. The CCTV engine room was completely turned upside down and the CCTV engine was taken away.”

Corroborating the story, the chairman/CEO of Alba Royale Hotel, Ayo Alabi, said the EFCC operatives destroyed a lot of things in the hotel.

“I went there in the morning and I saw the massive damage. I was told that all the guests were seriously dealt with. They took away our CCTV engine. They never invited us, we never had any issue with them and we have evidence of how they carried out the operations,” Alabi lamented.

Protesters took to the streets on Monday demanding the unconditional release of those arrested and profiled as internet fraudsters. They also called for an end to what they described as the EFCC’s harassment and extortion of innocent youths in the state.

The EFCC has defended its actions, stating that the raid was based on credible intelligence and that the commission had the mandate to arrest suspects on their radar.

A statement by the agency said the officials “conducted themselves professionally” during the sting operation, discrediting allegations of brutality and damage to property.

“The Commission wishes to state that no suspect was assaulted, brutalised or subjected to any dehumanising treatment during the Saturday operation,” the statement reads.

It added, “The Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC forecloses the use of brute force or unprofessional conduct in the course of any operation. The EFCC is a civilised law enforcement agency with optimal respect for human dignity and the rule of law.”

The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has condoled with the patrons who suffered losses during the operation, and about the arrested suspects he said, “We cannot stop credible intelligence efforts to rid our society of scams and scammers.”

“The Government of Ondo State will never leave anyone doing legitimate business stranded or oppressed by any institution of the government,” he added.

“As a government, we will never tolerate nefarious activities inimical to the growth and development of our society. We are not ready to condone actions that will pose a security threat to the state or nation.”