The management of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library has condemned the invasion of its premises around 2 am on Sunday by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Our correspondent learnt that the stringent operation made a lot of people in a private gathering within the sprawling complex sustain injuries as they scampered for safety
The armed men, said to have been led by one Olapade, were said to have engaged in sporadic shooting and threatened to kill the people met on the premises.
The management of OOPL in a statement on Sunday made available to journalists by its Managing Director, Mr Vitalis Ortese, described this sting operation as claimed by the EFCC as a blatant disrespect to the people’s fundamental rights as well as the rights of the OOPL as a corporate citizen.
The management insisted that it was needless for the anti-graft agency to have behaved in such a primitive way because the organiser of the private event had police officers on the ground, while additional officers were equally sent in from the Kemta Police Station, Abeokuta, with none of the officers having prior knowledge of the EFCC raid.
The management has therefore demanded an explanation for this night raid as well as a due apology to a lot of people whose rights were not only trampled upon but also sustained varying degrees of injuries during the alleged unlawful raid.
The management stated that it will not hesitate to seek legal redress and applicable sanctions against the anti-graft agency if it fails to tender its unreserved apology over this hurtful incident.
The statement partly reads “The invasion, led by one “Olapade’, caused serious panic and chaos, leading to serious injuries among
participants trying to escape the shooting and the carnage that resulted, and causing terror among residents on the site.
“On inquiry by phone, the “Olapade” informed the Managing Director of the OOPL establishment, Mr. Vitalis Ortese, that they were acting on an intelligence about a private event in the amusement facility of the complex.
“They also informed management that the police have been duly informed of the operation.
“It should be noted that the event was a private event that had been widely advertised to members of the public for days prior.
“It should also be noted that both the police officers stationed at the OOPL gates and the additional police sent from the Kemta Police Station, as requested by the organisers of the event and management, stated that they were not informed of any planned operation by the EFCC, and neither did they present any warrant.
“And when the armed men were accosted by OOPL security and assisting police officers, they simply retorted, “We are doing our job”.
“The Management wishes to state that this action by the EFCC is a clear case of invasion of private property, infringement of OOPL rights as corporate citizens, and indeed a stark and blatant violation of the rights of the people who so gathered for the event.
“The Management has commenced its Investigations of the invasion and will take up the matter with the highest authorities, including the EFCC, the police, and the Department of State Security.
“In the meantime, management demands an explanation of these impudent actions from the commission and an apology from the EFCC authorities for the infringement of its rights, to all those who gathered, and those who sustained serious injuries from the gangster like induced chaos.
“Failure for which the management will be compelled to seek redress and sanctions as appropriate”.
PUNCH Online had reported that EFCC on its X handle on Sunday disclosed an Abeokuta raid, amidst the OOPL controversy, where 93 suspected Internet fraudsters were arrested by the operatives of its Lagos Zonal office
