Youths protest in Ondo over EFCC raid, arrest of 127

Some youths staged a protest in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday against the raid by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who arrested 127 people at two nightclubs.

The personnel of the commission on Saturday stormed the night clubs and arrested about 127 youths over alleged internet fraud activities. Some of those arrested include a man who was celebrating his bachelor’s eve with his friends in one of the raided nightclubs.

Scores of protesters converged on the capital city and chanted various solidarity songs, calling on the anti-graft commission to unconditionally release those arrested.

As a result of the protest, there was a traffic logjam on the popular Oba Adesida Road and the governor’s office road.

One of the protesters, Femi Akinremi, called on the state and the Federal Government to investigate the EFCC personnel’s actions.

He said, “When has it become a crime for citizens to enjoy themselves at nightclubs? The guys (EFCC personnel); just entered into the nightclubs and started arresting our friends. Is it every youth in clubs that is into ‘yahoo yahoo’”

However, the EFCC confirmed the arrest of the suspects by its personnel from the Ibadan Zonal Directorate in Akure but said none of the suspects were brutalized or dehumanized.

The commission in a statement on Sunday by its Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, refuted the allegations.

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Oyewale stated that the commission personnel do not use tear gas during sting operations.

The statement partly read, “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.”