Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is under fire after a midnight raid on the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta led to the arrest of 93 people and sparked accusations of rights violations.
OOPL Managing Director Vitalis Ortese condemned the incident in a statement on Sunday, likening the EFCC operatives’ actions to those of a “Gestapo-like gang”. According to Ortese, more than 50 armed officers entered the complex at around 2 a.m. without a warrant, opening fire and allegedly threatening to kill guests attending a private, pre-advertised event.
The EFCC team, reportedly drawn from its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, said it was targeting suspected internet fraudsters. Eighteen vehicles and numerous mobile devices were confiscated. Witnesses claim the operation caused panic, injuries, and near chaos among guests and nearby residents, including the former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
OOPL maintains that the raid was illegal, pointing out that police officers on site – including reinforcements from the Kemta Division – had no prior knowledge of the operation. The library’s management argues that the EFCC infringed on both corporate and individual rights, and that the excessive use of force was unjustifiable.
The incident has reignited debate over the EFCC’s operational methods and accountability. OOPL has initiated its own probe and plans to petition top authorities, demanding an explanation, a public apology, and compensation for those injured. Legal proceedings, it warned, are imminent should the EFCC fail to respond satisfactorily.
