‘Our operatives acted professionally’ — EFCC denies assaulting suspects at Ondo clubs

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied assaulting suspects during a raid in Akure, Ondo state capital.

On Saturday, EFCC operatives raided two clubs simultaneously in Akure and arrested 127 suspected internet fraudsters.

There have been social media reports online alleging assault and theft by the EFCC operatives during the raid.

There were also allegations that the operatives destroyed the CCTV devices in the clubs.

Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the agency was shocked to be confronted with the narratives from social media.

Oyewale denied the allegations and said the operation was devoid of any incident as the EFCC operatives “conducted themselves professionally”.

“The Commission wants the public to discountenance 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 purveyors of this distasteful stunt,” the statement reads.

”The Commission wishes to state that no suspect was assaulted, brutalised or subjected to any dehumanising 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 operation. The officers that carried out the arrests neither came to the scene of crime with canister of tear gas nor whips, to inflict bodily injuries on suspects.”

The spokesperson also noted that no damage was done to the CCTV at the scene of the arrest, adding that the device was removed by a staff of the club to preserve the footages 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 works by the Commission, is in the custody of the EFCC with the CCTV. He is assisting in the investigation of the crime,” the statement reads.

“It is needful to state, for the umpteenth time, that the Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC foreclose 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.”