The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refuted claims that its operatives brutalized or dehumanized suspects during a raid on two nightclubs in Akure, Ondo State.
The raid, which took place on June 8, led to the arrest of 127 individuals suspected of internet fraud.
An eyewitness and an X user, Oluyemi Fasipe, alleged that the EFCC operatives used tear gas, beat, and arrested innocent people during the operation. Fasipe shared a video on X showing purported dehumanization of women at one of the clubs.
However, in a statement on Sunday, EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, denied these allegations, asserting that the commission’s personnel do not use tear gas during such operations. He emphasized that no suspects were assaulted, brutalized, or subjected to dehumanizing treatment.
“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 crime with canisters of tear gas nor whips to inflict bodily injuries on suspects,” Oyewale stated.
He also suggested that the viral video of two women with whip scars might have been staged. Oyewale mentioned that the EFCC would conduct a forensic analysis of the video to verify its authenticity and hold those responsible accountable.
“The Commission wants the public to discount this video as it may have been stage-managed to achieve unclear motives. The Commission will subject this video to forensic analysis to establish its falsehood and prepare a case against the purveyors of this distasteful stunt,” he added.
Oyewale maintained that the EFCC operatives conducted the raid professionally and without incident. He also clarified that no damage was done to the CCTV facility at the club. The CCTV device was removed by a club staff member at the operatives’ request to preserve footage for further analysis.
“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,” Oyewale said.
He concluded by noting that the profiling of the suspects arrested during the raid had been completed and that they would be prosecuted accordingly.
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