Regarding Sunday’s raid on the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the administration has vowed to file a lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Following a Wet & Rave Splash Extravaganza party at the OOPL, Rounda fun spot, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 officers attacked the venue at around two in the morning on Sunday, arrested ninety-three young people, and confiscated eighteen vehicles and mobile gadgets.
A widely shared video caught some of the young people running for their lives during the nighttime raid.
Credible intelligence regarding the youths’ potential involvement in online crimes led to the raid, according to a statement published by the EFCC on its official X account.
In a statement that reporters were able to get, Vitalis Ortese, the Managing Director of OOPL Ventures, responded to the incident by stating that the operators had over fifty armed men enter the facility, shooting firearms and threatening to kill individuals.
He bemoaned how the invasion, spearheaded by one “Olapade,” created chaos and fear, resulting in severe injuries to those attempting to flee the shooting.
In addition to violating OOPL’s rights as a corporate citizen, Ortese characterized the action as a glaring and flagrant violation of the rights of the attendees of the event and a clear case of invasion of private property.
A group of more than fifty armed men, resembling the Gestapo, stormed the OOPL premises this morning at around two in the morning, threatening to kill individuals, brandishing firearms, and claiming to be from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to the statement.
In addition to causing fear among locals, the invasion, spearheaded by one ‘Olapade,’ resulted in severe panic and confusion, as well as catastrophic injuries to participants attempting to flee the ensuing shooting and near-carnage.
The “Olapade” told Mr. Vitalis Ortese, the Managing Director of the OOPL establishment, over the phone that they were responding to an intelligence report on a private event in the complex’s amusement center. The police have been properly notified of the operation, they also told management.
However, it should be mentioned that the event was private and had been heavily publicized for days before. Notably, the police officers stationed at the OOPL gates and the additional police officers dispatched from the Kemta Police Station at the request of the event organizers and management indicated that they were not notified of any EFCC-planned operation and did not produce a warrant.
“And OOPL security and supporting police officers just said, ‘We are doing our job,’ when the armed guys were confronted.
The EFCC’s action, according to management, is an obvious violation of the rights of the persons who attended the event, a clear case of invasion of private property, and an infringement of OOPL’s rights as corporate citizens.
The statement called for an explanation and an apology from the EFCC officials for violating its and the people’s rights, and it also stated that an investigation into the invasion was still underway.
If the anti-graft agency doesn’t provide the apology and explanation, it has threatened to file a lawsuit.
“Management requests that the commission provide an explanation for these egregious acts and that the EFCC authorities apologize for violating its rights, as well as to all those who attended and suffered severe injuries from the gangster-like chaos.”
According to the statement, “if there is a failure, the management will be forced to seek appropriate redress and sanctions.”
