Photographer ‘wrongly’ paraded as fraudster demands N100m damages from EFCC

Nasiru Ali, a photographer also known as Kozzographa, has demanded N100 million from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in damages.

On May 17, Ali was arrested after EFCC operatives raided his home in Abuja.

The photographer was reportedly asleep when officials of the anti-graft agency stormed his house. He was released after three days in detention.

His picture and name alongside nine other suspected “Yahoo boys” were published on May 20, on the anti-graft agency’s Instagram page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxr094khISi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In a petition dated May 30, and addressed to Ibrahim Magu, EFCC acting chairman, the photographer, through Pelumi Olajengbensi, a human rights lawyer, said he lost a N5 million contract over the incident.

Ali, who demanded for an “unreserved apology” for the “wrongful arrest” and “libellous publication”, challenged the EFCC to prove that he is a fraudster.

“That your good office publish and tender an unreserved apology for the wrongful arrest and unlawful detention as well as the libellous publication of our client for no just cause on all your online platforms and two other national newspapers,” the petition read.

“That you pay to our client the sum of one hundred million naira only (100. 000, 000.00) being minimal damages to assuage his already battered reputation.”

The photographer said if the EFCC fails to meet the aformentioned conditions within seven days, he would go to court.