Akure women accuse EFCC of assaults
By Motunrayo Ajala
Some women in Akure, Ondo State in Nigeria’s southwest region, have posted their nudes to prove alleged assault by some officials of the country’s graft-fighting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
TheCornet reports that armed EFCC officials in two mid-night raids arrested 127 young revelers at two highbrow clubs, Signature Elixir, and Abah Royale Hotel/club located in the state capital.
The body, in its statement, said the intelligence it received led to the raiding of the clubs, where parties were being held for internet fraudsters known locally in Nigeria as ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
“Credible intelligence showed that the alleged party was initially scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024 but was later moved to Saturday to beat security and intelligence networks of the EFCC.
“The suspects have given useful information to Investigators of the Directorate,” the EFCC wrote in its statement.
The body added that it retrieved laptops and smartphones believed to have incriminating evidence from the suspects.
However, the EFCC action have dismayed some youths, leading to a massive social media call-out of the agency.
In two short videos lasting seven and eight seconds each, posted by X user Oluyemi Fasipe (@Yemifash), two women showed the bruises on their butts.
The women claimed that had sustained the bruises from the lashing received from EFCC officers.
As per his posts, Fasipe alleged that the officials also carted away smartphones and hair wigs seized from the women but didn’t arrest them, as they did to the men.
He added that the officials also destroyed drinks, broke the Close Circuit Camera while taking away the equipment.
“The rogues in red jackets entered the club at around 2am. They discharged tear gas and proceeded to physically attack everyone, including the club staff, using sticks.
“They collected the phones of all the ladies and took them away. They destroyed and scattered items in the club. Additionally, they carried out a random mass arrest,” Fasipe wrote.
Following the incident, the angry youths are accusing the body of being selective and favouring influential people, especially politically exposed persons, in its anti-graft fight.
TheCornet reports that the EFCC has gained notoriety for carrying out night raids and arrests on campuses of tertiary institutions.
Last October 2023, the EFCC had carried out the arrest of 69 students of a private university in Ile-Ife, Osun state. During the campus raid, the officials had broken into the hostels to effect arrests of suspects.
Due to the public backlash that greeted the incident at the time, Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the EFCC, banned sting operations done in the night. He also affirmed the body would respect the rights of arrested suspects.
Also, at the time, Sylvanus Tahir, Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, warned the officers against detaining suspects without warrant or taking them to court.
“It is time to have a paradigm shift and change the narrative. Henceforth, professionalism shall be the watchword,”Tahir said.
However, the EFCC officers have continued to carry out night raids, in defiance to the directive.
