The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) midnight raid on its premises.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the management said over 50 armed men claiming to be EFCC operatives stormed the library premises around 2 a.m.
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The management described the operation as “gestapo-like” and alleged that the EFCC agents did not present any warrant or inform the police officers stationed at the facility.
Giving details of how the raid happened, the management said officers of the anti- corruption agency, led by an individual identified as “Olapade,” reportedly fired gunshots, threatened to kill people, and caused widespread panic.
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The chaos caused serious injuries among the event attendees trying to escape the shooting. Also, residents on the site were left terrified.
“On inquiry by phone, the ‘Olapade’ informed the Managing Director of the OOPL establishment, Mr Vitalis Ortese, that they were acting on an intelligence tip about a private event in the amusement facility of the complex. They also informed management that the police have been duly informed of the operation,” the statement read.
EFCC’s midnight raid
The management’s statement comes after the EFCC said it arrested suspected internet fraudsters at the venue.
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In an X post on its official page, the EFCC said operatives from its Lagos zonal directorate 2 , apprehended 93 suspected internet fraudsters in Ogun state.
The anti- corruption agency said the suspects were arrested on Sunday, 10 August, in a sting operation in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet crimes.
“Upon their arrest, 18 vehicles and mobile devices were recovered from them. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” EFCC said.
However, the library management has disputed the circumstances surrounding the raid, saying it was a private event that had been publicly advertised for days.
The management further stated that the police officers stationed at the OOPL gates and additional personnel from the Kemta Police Station, deployed at the request of event organizers and management, claimed they were not informed of the EFCC’s planned operation.
It said the EFCC operatives also failed to present a warrant.
READ ALSO:EFCC arrests Internet fraud suspect in Ogun with two locally-made pistols
“When the armed men were accosted by OOPL security and assisting police officers, they simply retorted, “We are doing our job.”
“Management wishes to state that this action by the EFCC is a clear case of invasion of private property, infringement of OOPL rights as corporate citizens, and indeed a stark and blatant violation of the rights of the people who gathered for the event,” the statement read.
The library said it has commenced its own investigation into the incident and has vowed to take the matter up with the highest authorities, including the EFCC, the police, and the State Security Service.
About OOPL
The Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, located in Abeokuta, Ogun State, is a historic and academic centre conceived in 1988, years after then-General Olusegun Obasanjo stepped down in 1979 as the military Head of State. The library was incorporated in November 2002 as a not-for-profit organisation, two years into Mr Obasanjo’s tenure as elected Nigerian president. But it was only officially inaugurated by Obasanjo on 4 March 2017.
It serves as a national archive, preserving documents and materials on Nigerian history and former President Obasanjo’s life.
The library features a museum, archives, multipurpose hall, wildlife park, and amusement park, attracting researchers, scholars, and tourists.
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