The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday evening denied reports that its officers flogged some ladies during a raid on nightclubs in Akure, Ondo State capital.
Last Friday night, EFCC officials conducted sting operations at several clubhouses in Akure, resulting in the arrest of about 49 suspected internet fraudsters.
The raid has drawn condemnation from various quarters, with critics describing the EFCC’s actions as an invasion of the privacy of innocent Nigerians.
Some X users shared videos alleging that some ladies were brutalized by EFCC officers.
However, in a statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission refuted claims that any suspect was assaulted during the operation.
Oyewale emphasized that EFCC officials conducted themselves professionally and that profiling of the suspects arrested at the scene of the crime has been completed.
He also informed that these suspects would be prosecuted accordingly.
Oyewale urged the public to disregard the trending video, suggesting it may have been stage-managed to achieve unclear motives.
He stated that the EFCC plans to subject the video to forensic analysis to establish its falsehood and prepare a case against those responsible for the alleged misinformation.
The statement reads: “Arising from the misinformation and distortion of facts about the arrest of 127 suspected internet fraudsters by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, June 8, 2024, it becomes imperative to clearly present the true facts of the operation.
“The operatives executed a classical sting operation at two clubs simultaneously in Akure based on credible intelligence, leading to the arrest of the suspected fraudsters. The operation, in line with the established ground norm for such engagement, was devoid of any incident as the operatives conducted themselves professionally.
“It was therefore shocking to be confronted with narratives, particularly from social media, about brutalization, including a trending video of two ladies showing bodies lacerated by whips. The Commission wants the public to discount this video as it may have been stage-managed to achieve motives that are unclear. The Commission will subject this video to forensic analysis to establish its falsehood and prepare a case against the purveyors of this distasteful stunt.
“The Commission wishes to state that no suspect was assaulted, brutalized, or subjected to any dehumanizing treatment during the Saturday operation. It is also false that tear gas was fired at the crime scene. Those familiar with the Commission’s operations know that EFCC personnel do not use tear gas during sting operations. The officers that carried out the arrests neither came to the scene of the crime with canisters of tear gas nor whips to inflict bodily injuries on suspects.
“It is also important to state that no damage was done to the CCTV facility at the scene of the arrest. The device was removed by a staff of the club at the instance of operatives of the Commission to preserve the footage for further analysis of the role of each of the arrested suspects in the alleged crime. Specifically, one of the arrested suspects, the manager of the club, who confessed to the crime and directed the removal of the CCTV device for further investigative work by the Commission, is in the custody of the EFCC with the CCTV. He is assisting in the investigation of the crime.
“It is needful to state, for the umpteenth time, that 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 civilized law enforcement agency with optimal respect for human dignity and the rule of law.
“Meanwhile, profiling of suspects arrested at the scene of the crime has been completed. They will be prosecuted accordingly.”
Femi Akintola
June 9, 2024 at 8:55 pm
Nigerians have often been passive, but we need to stand up and defend ourselves. The @efcc’s so-called raids are merely a means to extort money from those they arrest. If the @efcc claims I’m lying, consider this: over the past three years, they have arrested more than 5,000 youths. How many of these youths have been prosecuted and jailed? Or were 90% of these arrests wrongful? My recommendation is that the youth must stand against this injustice.