Businessman seeks N150m compensation after EFCC ‘raids home, steals wine’

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, has been petitioned over the conduct of his personnel who allegedly raided the residence of an Abia-based economist and contractor, Mr. Ugochukwu Ezeanyagu, in breach of the law.

Through his lawyers, Equity Law Partners, in a letter signed by Shankyula, T.S., and made available to journalists, Ezeanyagu narrated that about 15 EFCC officials, some masked and armed with AK-47s, broke into his house around 2 a.m., slapping him and his eight-month-pregnant wife.

The officials allegedly accused Ezeanyagu of being an internet fraudster but later apologised when they found no evidence to support their claims. They reportedly asked him if he was the owner of a Mercer SUV and a Toyota Corolla parked in the compound.

Before leaving, the officials allegedly stole bottles of wine from his fridge and slapped his security guard.

Ezeanyagu, describing the EFCC’s actions as criminal trespass, unlawful invasion of privacy, criminal intimidation, assault, and theft, is demanding justice, including N150 million in compensation for the trauma and humiliation suffered by him and his family.

He is also seeking a public apology from the EFCC officials involved in the raid.

Ezeanyagu claimed that he and his eight-month-pregnant wife have been in an unstable condition, petrified, and experiencing serious psychological trauma since the incident.

“We state in clear terms that every Nigerian deserves to be treated with dignity and with due regard to his or her constitutionally guaranteed rights. The criminal trespass of the EFCC men to Our Client’s house at such an ungodly hour of 2 a.m. on the night of December 6, 2024, remains questionable, suspicious, and should be probed very seriously,” the petition noted in part.

“Our Client’s right to privacy was violated. He and his wife were intimidated, assaulted, manhandled, and humiliated. The EFCC men came without a search warrant. Their mission was illegal, and as it proved to be, they found nothing incriminating against Our Client. Instead, as common thieves and criminals that they turned out to be, they shamelessly stole wines from Our Client’s bar.

“We write this petition mindful of the fact that law enforcement agents in our country Nigeria must not be allowed to continue to paint a very gory picture of the country’s image. It is embarrassing that for an elite institution like the EFCC, its officials could claim to be acting on an intel that turned out not only to be fake but a mission for housebreaking and stealing, assault, and the like.”