Ugochukwu Ezeanyagu, an Economist and contractor from Umuahia, Abia State, has petitioned the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Olanipekun Olukoyede, over a midnight raid on his home.
Writing 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 of whom were masked and armed with AK-47s, broke into his house around 2 am, slapping him and his 8-months pregnant wife.
The officials allegedly accused Ezeanyagu of being an internet fraudster, but later apologized when they found no evidence to support their claims.
They had earlier asked him if he was the owner of the Mercer SUV and a Toyota Corolla parked in the compound.
However, before leaving, they stole some bottles of wine from his fridge and slapped his security guard.
Ezeanyagu who described the EFCC action as criminal trespass, unlawful invasion of privacy, criminal intimidation, assualt and theft is demanding justice, including N150 million in compensation for the trauma and humiliation he and his family suffered.
He is also seeking a public apology from the EFCC officials involved in the raid.
The letter said in parts: “When the said EFCC men did not find anything incriminating against Our Client, they merely tendered apology and left.
“To Our Client’s chagrin, to round up their criminal mission, which they set out to perpetrate, as they were leaving, they shamelessly stole bottles of wine from Our Client’s bar. They also slapped the security man who was on duty.
“Our Client has further informed us that he and his 8 months pregnant wife have, since the illegal operation of the rogue EFCC officials, been in a very unstable condition, petrified and thrown into serious psychological trauma. Our Client’s wife was distressed and had to be rushed to a hospital to be managed and stabilized.
“We have the instructions of Our Client to complain to your good offices against the illegal and unlawful acts of the men of the EFCC, whether of the Umuahia zonal office or wherever they came from.
“We state in clear terms that every Nigerian deserves to be treated with dignity and with due regards 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 2am on the night of 6th December 2024 remains questionable, suspicious and should be probed into very seriously. 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.
“We therefore implore you to use your good offices to properly investigate this complaint against the conduct of the EFCC officials towards Our Client. Our Client demands for justice. Equally important is also the fact that brazen conducts such as these needs to be kept in check to serve as a deterrence for other officials. Rogue officials must be weeded out of the system and made to desist from corrupting and giving a bad name to the system. We trust and look forward that you will thoroughly investigate this petition, fish out and deal decisively with the officers involved.
“The rights of Our Client, his wife as well as that of his security guard have been breached owing to the irresponsible and criminal conduct of the men of the EFCC.
“May we also put it on record that there are CCTV footages of some parts of the operations of these EFCC officials.
We are therefore demanding for justice for our client and his family. We ask for the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million (N150,000,000.00) naira only as compensation to assuage for the pain caused to our client and his family. We also demand a public apology to Our Client from the EFCC officials.
Please accept the assurances of our warm regards”.
See petition below
