Protests rocked Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday following the raid on some nightclubs by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The protesters, comprised of youths, condemned how the anti-graft agency invaded the clubs as well as how the customers of the clubs were dehumanised during the operation.
At the weekend, EFCC officials stormed the popular Signatures and Alba Royale Clubs, where 127 suspect internet fraudsters were arrested, including a groom-to-be.
The Ibadan zonal office of the commission, which had in various statements confirmed the raid, disclosed that the arrested suspect was picked based on intelligence received, adding that the operation aligns with its module of Operandi.
With the youths frowning at the gestapo tactics of the EFCC, they emphasised that the brutality melted on the suspects by EFCC operatives during the night raid was uncalled for.
One of the protesters, Oluwaseun Ogunmola, who spoke with journalists during the protest, said the raid by the anti-graft agency was in defiance of its ban on night operations.
Ogunmola, however, demanded that those arrested and profiled as internet fraudsters in the Akure clubs be released unconditionally.
Another protester, Tobi Akinnubi, said, “In Nigeria now, youths cannot use phones or laptops; they can’t drive cars because the EFCC sees them as fraudsters. Our ladies have been taken away; have they committed any offenses? This is purely brutality. Enough is enough, and we must put an end to this.
“We demand justice for these actions; the federal government should please look into this case because we can’t continue like this.”
Following the protest, which terminated at the Governor’s Office, the youths were addressed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tayo Oluwatuyi, and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has stated that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has begun taking steps over the sting operation in a move to ensure that all concerns are addressed without prejudice.
While calling for peace, the Commissioner, through the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, stated that the “Command recognises the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful protest, but these rights must be exercised without breach of public order and without infringement on the rights of other law-abiding citizens, as the Police owes it a duty to protect the rights of all citizens and foreign nationals resident within or transiting through the State at all times.
“We appeal to the good people of Ondo State, especially the youths who claimed to have been adversely affected by the sting operation, to act with restraint and comport themselves within the ambits of the laws of the land.
“Victims and their sympathisers are urged to calm their frayed nerves, follow laid-down procedures in channelling their complaints to appropriate authorities for possible redress, and not embark on a self-help mission that can lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.”
