• ‘WE ARE UNDER SIEGE’: OOPL MD CRIES OUT OVER EFCC INVASION
• EFCC: OOPL WAS NOT THE TARGET
• RESIDENTS FAULT RISING FRAUD RATE IN THE STATE

The Managing Director of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Mr. Vitalis Ortese, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of mounting sustained operations in Ogun State that could cripple its business and entertainment sectors.

Speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ortese called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene before investors and event organizers abandon the state.

My understanding now is that most of the tenants are trying to move their businesses out of Abeokuta or Ogun state as a whole. This is not the first attack. I understand there was an attack on an event in Itori. it looks like Ogun state is generally under attack from EFCC and people, as well as, entertainers, don’t feel safe anymore. This is negatively affecting the economic life of people of Ogun state. This should be an interest to the authorities that Ogun state is seriously under attack by the EFCC”, He said.

Recalling the August 10 incident, Ortese alleged that armed EFCC operatives from Lagos stormed the OOPL hotel between 1:15 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., forcing their way in despite meeting a security detail that included 12 policemen.

“On August 10th at about 1.15 to 1.30 in the morning, a van full of armed men took over the exit of the hotel. About 15 men offloaded and while some blocked the exit gate, some went to the entrance. They met with the 12 assigned Policemen who were already at the gate. They introduced themselves and while they were yet talking, another set of the EFCC operatives came out of another vehicle because they were about four or five buses. They parked at the gate and later badged into the gate and drove into the premises, and started shooting their guns. This is exactly what happened.

“There was not much conversation other than “we are here on operations, and nobody can stop us”. And they started shooting indiscriminately right at the gate, even before they got to the venue of the event. Because the organizers had already put in place security including Policemen from Keita and the Anti-cultism men in uniform, nobody was expecting anything of such. The people who were in the event knew that there were lots of security around and so they were not really bothered and so they went ahead with the event.

“The event was not that of OOPL really. It was organized by a group who rented the venue. The organizers had been using the place before and the instant one was the fourth. They said that the event was a party and it was a night one, and so we apprised them that they should organize adequate security. They didn’t inform the EFCC because the people we also generally involved are the police. Even if we had to inform the EFCC, it would be men in Ogun state here. These people came from Lagos State. And as we understand, their people here were not even aware of their coming. It was not the first time we were hosting events. We host weddings, conferences, anniversaries, funerals, and there are a lot of spaces people come to. And any of these events could have been communicated to anybody to come and attack, but I don’t think that was enough ground for the EFCC to come and be shooting guns indiscriminately,” Ortese recounted. He said the raid left guests traumatized and some injured while fleeing.

According to him, the targeted event was not organized by OOPL but by a private group that had rented the venue for a night party, with additional security measures in place. “These people came from Lagos. As we understand, their colleagues in Ogun were not aware of their coming,” he said.

Ortese further alleged that repeated EFCC raids — including a previous disruption in Itori — were creating a climate of fear. “Most tenants are now planning to move their businesses out of Abeokuta. It looks like Ogun State is under attack,” he warned, insisting that if EFCC had grievances with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, they should address him directly rather than “molesting innocent Nigerians.”

OOPL has demanded ₦3.5 billion in damages and a public apology within seven days or risk legal action.

EFCC: OOPL Was Not the Target

The EFCC has denied claims that its operation was aimed at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library itself.

According to spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the operation focused on 93 suspects allegedly involved in internet fraud, who were arrested during a pool party at a hotel within the OOPL premises.

“The suspects were the target and have confessed to involvement in internet crimes,” Oyewale said, explaining that the event had been moved to the venue in an attempt to evade EFCC detection.

“The arraignment, to be conducted in batches, follows their arrest at a pool party where they were celebrating their exploits. The party was initially planned to hold in two locations but was shifted to the hotel in OOPL ostensibly to escape possible arrest.

The planners got wind of the Commission’s intelligence and scampered to the OOPL expecting a sort of cover from arrest. The former president’s facility was not a target of EFCC’s operations. The suspects were the target and have confessed to involvement in internet crimes.” He explained.

Oyewale stressed that the library facilities were not a focus of the operation. He added that 23 of the suspects will be arraigned today, August 15, before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, with others to follow in batches.

Public Opinion: Divided Views on EFCC Tactics

While some residents and business operators are condemning the EFCC’s late-night raid as excessive and harmful to Ogun State’s image, others believe the agency’s actions are necessary to combat a rising tide of cybercrime.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Sina Ogungbade, said the state has become a hotspot for internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Boys. According to him, their presence is visible “almost everywhere in Abeokuta” and their activities have extended beyond online scams to posing real dangers to public safety.

The fact however is that Ogun State is under attack by internet fraudsters otherwise as Yahoo Boys. It is as if they all have decided to relocate to Ogun State. Without any attempt at stereotyping any class or group of persons, you will find them clearly identifiable by their carriage and ubiquitous mannerisms almost everywhere you go in Abeokuta. If only their activities were limited to their nefarious online activities, there perhaps would not be the kind of apprehension now felt by many.

Ogungbade cited multiple incidents — including fatal road accidents, deliberate assaults, and reckless driving — allegedly involving such individuals. In one case, a man lost his wife and two-year-old child after being run over by a suspected fraudster driving under the influence. In another, a taxi driver was reportedly killed after protesting damage to his vehicle.

He warned that the threat now “cuts across the entire state” and that EFCC operations, while controversial, are drawing attention to a serious problem. “Whether or not one agrees with their methods, the danger posed by these boys to members of the public is undeniable,” he noted.

What’s Next?

The fallout from the August 10 raid continues to stir debate balancing human rights concerns against the urgent need to curb internet fraud. With legal threats from OOPL, looming court arraignments, and divided public opinion, the clash between hospitality operators and anti-graft authorities is far from over.