Metro
How EFCC Officials Allegedly Tortured Lagos Clubgoers, Forced Out Naked Couple
Customers and workers at the Lakers Lounge Hotel and Bar, Ikorodu, Lagos State, have accused officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of subjecting them to torture during a raid on the facility.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the workers were attending to customers at the club when the armed officials invaded the premises around 11.30pm on Friday, June 3.
The officials, who were said to have presented no warrant, also allegedly removed the closed-circuit television in the course of the operation.
They allegedly ordered customers and workers to lie on the floor and beat up those who protested against the raid.
A customer, Oladapo Ogunyinka, said the EFCC officials seized peoples’ phones, adding that he had yet to recover his seized property.
He said, “I left Ikeja with two guests to have fun at the club. We were upstairs when the EFCC operatives invaded the premises with guns and sticks. One of them, Olumide, approached our direction with a gun, seized my iPhone PRO Max 13 and Samsung Galaxy A22 valued at N900,000 and ordered us to go down.
“When we got down, the operatives told us to lie down flat. Immediately, the official that seized my phones started doing a video record. The officials went to the hotel attached to the club, broke the doors and brought lodgers outside. There was a particular couple that came out; the man was wearing only boxers, and the lady, a pair of pants and a bra.
“There was a lady that started convulsing due to the shock of the incident and one of the officers still beat her with a stick and said she was pretending. They treated people like animals; if I am lying, they have the CCTV footage with them, they should play it.
“They tied us in pairs of two; I explained to one of the operatives that I was a realtor that just came to the club to have fun and he informed the officer that led the operation from Ibadan, Chris Odofin, and I was untied. But they did not release my phones.”
Ogunyinka said the operatives instructed him to visit the EFCC office at Ibadan, Oyo State, to ask for one Momoh to claim his phones, adding that despite visiting the office, he had yet to retrieve his property.
“I had nothing incriminating on my phones, so I visited their office, asked for Momoh, who took me to where the seized phones were kept, but I didn’t see my phones. I became angry and started shouting and luckily, I was able to identify the person that seized my phones and Momoh also saw the officer.
“So, their boss had to intervene and told Momoh to call the officer. Their boss, who is a woman, gave them 72 hours to produce my phones, but till date, they have yet to produce them. It is surprising that I gave my phones to an EFCC official and he stole my phones instead of tendering them as exhibits.
“The incident was a nightmare. They harassed customers and workers at the club and didn’t even interview most people. I explained everything to their boss in Ibadan and she was just apologising,” he added.
The Human Resources Manager at the club, Ajoke Quadri, said the EFCC officials presented no warrant, adding that business activities at the club had been paralysed after the raid.
READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Company Executive Over €349,000 Fraud
She said, “The EFCC officials destroyed the club’s property; they burst my office and the safe where I keep staff documents. They also destroyed the camera room, took all the DVR and hard drive and cut the wires connecting the CCTV.
“We also have a hotel attached to the club. They took the master card from our receptionist, went to the hotel’s rooms and the rooms where the master card wasn’t letting them to gain entry, they broke down the doors, raised the beds up and brought out lodgers.
“About 105 people work with us; but those operatives harassed my staff, including Gloria Nwankwo, and one of my supervisors, among others on duty. We had to rush the supervisor to a hospital as he could not hear properly after the attack.
“They also burst my boss’ office, took away three tablets used to punch in sales; they took two phones we used for receiving company transfer alerts. All staff and customers’ phones were taken; most of my staff had to go to Ibadan to retrieve their phones.
“I had to also go to Ibadan to retrieve some of our property. It was when I got to Ibadan that I was able to assist some of the people, including a nurse that was arrested at De Butler’s club, but had no money to return to Lagos.”
Recall that officials the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency recently raided the club and allegedly brutalised customers and damaged some property.
CCTV installed on the club premises revealed as the NDLEA operatives ordered customers to raise their hands while they searched their pockets, bags and purses one after the other.
As seen in the video clip, customers, who resisted the search, were beaten and forcefully dragged from the club during the raid.
In 2019, men of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command also invaded the club and seized from its customers and workers valuables and cash running into several millions of naira.
The management of the club had sought redress over the incident as the Lagos State Police Command arrested 13 of the 19 police operatives for professional misconduct.
Counsel for the club, Femi Martins, lamented the constant raids on the club by security agents, noting that some rivals were trying to perpetrate unfair actions to run the club out of business.
A rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said a lot of victims had been wrongly arrested and stigmatised in the guise of searching for Internet fraudsters, adding that those whose rights were violated should seek redress in court.
He said, “EFCC in recent times has become arbitrary in the way its operatives go about the discharge of their functions. There have been several allegations about the highhandedness of the commission in handling cases regarding cybercrime.
“In their attempt to go after the so-called Yahoo boys, they continuously violate the rights of innocent people. It is expected that before such an operation takes place, a proper search warrant would have been obtained to enable the commission to have legal access to the private property of citizens whether it is built for business or residential purposes.
“And a search warrant has to be targeted at a specific property and individual. Before a search warrant is issued under the administration of criminal justice act, there has to be reasonable suspicion.
“In a situation where they just invade premises and pick people indiscriminately, and begin to scout for evidence implicating the people that they have arrested, it is not a lawful way of enforcing the law.”
READ ALSO: N80bn Fraud: EFCC Uncovers 17 Properties Linked To Accountant-General
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, had in a statement said the commission arrested 140 suspects in separate sting operations at popular hotels, including Lakers Lounge Hotel and Bar and De Butlers, following credible intelligence on their involvement in internet-related fraud.
“Items recovered from the suspects include exotic cars, electronic devices, laptop computers and mobile phones. The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded,” the statement said.
Contacted for a follow-up reaction, Uwujaren said, “There is nothing to add to the statement that we issued.”
PUNCH.
Metro
Police Confirm ‘Accidental’ Killing Of Inspector By 10-Year-Old Son
The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector, Okolie Amechi, who was accidentally shot by his 10-year-old son.
It said that the incident occurred on Sunday evening.
It explained that the son, who was unaware of the state of the AK 47 assigned to Amechi, pulled the trigger and struck his father in the back.
The Command also said the the inspector’s second child was struck in the hand due to the accidental discharge.
READ ALSO: Police Arrest Suspects For Stealing Two Underage Siblings In Anambra
“The Anambra State Police Command expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident that resulted in the death of Police Inspector Okolie Amechi in Awka.
“The son unaware of the state, of the AK 47 rifle assigned to the inspector, pulled the trigger and struck the inspector in the back and his second child in the hand,” a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, read in part.
It further noted that Amechi was confirmed dead at a hospital, adding that the rifle had been recovered.
READ ALSO: Gas Explosion Kills Two, Injures Six In Anambra Market
“Regrettably, Inspector Amechi was taken to the hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while the second victim is responding to treatment.
“Also, the rifle has been recovered and the remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue.
“The Command while wishing the second victim a quick recovery, condoles the family and friends of the late inspector.”
Metro
Boundary Dispute: One Killed, Four Injured As Protest Erupts In Edo Communities
One person has been reportedly killed and four others injured over a land dispute in Iyekogba, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.
A youth leader, Frank Osamede Osagie, was reportedly shot dead and four others injured during a meeting between two communities – Aye and Ikpebo – all in Iyekogba – aimed at discussion a boundary dispute.
Taking protest to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council on Monday, Bright Omoasuen, a leader of the Iyekogba communities said they had earlier petitioned the Inspector General of Police regarding the matter, just as he demanded the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the youth’s killing.
He, on behalf of other protesters, alleged that one Marvis Agbontaen who was suspected to have carried out the attack still goes around freely.
READ ALSO: CSO, Stakeholders Lament Impact Of Mining In Edo Communities, Want A Halt
He disclosed that the killing occurred during a meeting meant to resolve a boundary dispute between two sections of the community—Aye and Ikpebo.
He said. “We hold our meeting two times a month and the elders hold theirs every Tuesday, and these have been on for the past 10 years. This is what we use to manage the peace of the community.
“But on the 4th of June, 2025, there was a boundary that was demarcated about seven years ago between Aye and Ikpebo.
“It was the youth leader of Ikpebo, Mr. Marvis Agbontaen, that brought the idea of demarcating the boundary, and we agreed to settle the boundary problem on the 4th of June. But on that day, we waited for Mr. Marvis Agbontaen to come for four hours, but we did not see him. Then the elders decided to postpone the meeting for the upper Monday.”
Omoasuen said the situation, however, took a violent turn after Mr Agbontaen arrived with his boys and started shooting.
READ ALSO: Police Arrest 28 Suspected Cultists In Edo
“Then, what we saw was that he was coming with his car with his boys. We saw him disembark from the vehicle with AK-47 and he started shooting. Our brother, Mr. Frank Osamede Osagie, was killed instantly, while four others were injured. The four injured persons were treated in the police clinic,” he added.
He claimed this is not the first time such an attack occurred in the area.
He, therefore, called on the police authorities to take swift and decisive action.
“Even before this one in Iyekogba, it has been happening elsewhere. That is why we are here. We do not want to take laws into our hands. We don’t want this to continue. That is why we are here. Please, help us. We are pleading that the police should intervene,” they said.
Attempts made to contact the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, SP Moses Yamu were not successful.
Metro
753 Duplexes: Abuja Court Admits Emefiele To N2bn Bail
Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court on Monday admitted the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to bail in the sum of N2 billion in a fresh charge of property fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed an eight-count charge against him in respect of the disputed 753 duplexes in Abuja.
The said property located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, measures 150,462.86 SQM and comprises 753 housing units.
When the charge was read to him, he, however, pleaded not guilty.
Following his plea, his counsel, Mathew Burkaa SAN applied for bail, which was not opposed to by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN.
READ ALSO: Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of $1.4m Linked To Emefiele
Oyedepo, however, asked the court to expunge some paragraphs in the bail application, and the court granted that.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Halilu held that bail is a constitutional right.
He added that the defendant(Emefiele) has been granted bail by two other judges and he did not go against the conditions and terms
”I admit the defendant to bail on the terms and conditions that the defendant’s travel documents which is already before justice Muazu is hereby attached as part of the condition .
“The defendant shall provide two sureties who must be residents of Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court.
READ ALSO: How I Delivered $400,000 Cash To Emefiele – Ex-aide
“The sureties must own landed property within the jurisdiction of this court precisely in Asokoro , Maitama and Wuse 2 which valued at N2 billion” he held
Halilu further ordered that the sureties shall also do undertaking to produce the defendant in court always
all through his trial .
He added in the event the defendant jumps bail, they (sureties) will be put in prison.
He ordered that the defendant is granted from now to Wed (June 18) to vacate the ball or else risk going to prison.
He then adjourned until July 11 for continuation.
The charge number: CR/358/2025, borders on alleged having control of property reasonably suspected to be unlawfully obtained.
READ ALSO:Witness Reveals How Emefiele Moved Millions To Wife
The offence, the EFCC said, is punishable under Section 319 of the Penal Code Law.
Emefiele was charged alongside one “Ocheme” who is at large.
Besides the housing estate, the two defendants are also charged with unlawfully keeping in their possession billions of naira in proxy accounts in Zenith Bank.
In count one of the charge Emefiele and Ocheme are being accused of knowingly having within their control the housing estate suspected to be unlawfully obtained contrary to the law.
While in count two, they were alleged to knowingly have in their possession the sum of N167 million domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915, in count three they were alleged to have held the sum of N1.23 billion in the same account.
READ ALSO: Alleged Fraud: Court Admits Bundles Of Documents As Evidence Against Emefiele
According to the anti-graft agency, the said sums were said to be reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
In another count they were also alleged to have in their control another sum of N2.9 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc.
In count five, the commission stated that the defendants between January and December 2022, knowingly had under their control the total sum of N1.98 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
In other counts they were also linked with the sum of N900 million and N600 million in Ifedigo Integrated Services’ account No: 1210750237 domiciled wit zenith Bank.
Meanwhile, in count eight, Emefiele was said to have in January 2021, forged a document titled, “Irrevocable Power of Attorney Between MG Properties Limited and H and Y Business Global Limited” with the intention of causing it to be believed that the said titled document was executed by or by the authority of H and Y Business Global Limited.
The offences, according to the EFCC, contravened the provisions of sections 319, 362 and 364 of the Penal Code.
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