The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has opened up on claims by former Big Brother Naija reality TV star, Dorathy Bachor, that her house was broken into by its operatives.
TheNewsGuru recalls that Bachor via a post on social media on Monday, had said that they broke the door to her house in the name of searching for someone who ran into her estate.
She said the incident left her shaken while her mother almost had a panic attack.
According to her, “At 04.45am, I heard a loud sound and voices followed after. I rush(ed) out almost naked to see 5 fully armed @officialefcc men in my living room and one of them saying, ‘oh na that big brother babe be this’.
“In my confused state, I’m trying to understand what in the hell was going on, why did they break my door?
“Then, one of them said they were looking for someone who ran into my estate and I should lock my door, stay indoors and not say a word.
“I’m shaking at this point and so confused because how exactly is this even okay?
“Still shaking, I’m trying to close my already broken door when my sister screamed my name and I ran back upstairs to see my mom almost having a panic attack.
“I have never felt so helpless in my whole life.
“@officialefcc you now break into people’s houses and jump estate fences all in the name of doing your job. Shame on you all.”
In their reaction, the EFCC in a statement on Facebook, said Bachor’s apartment happened to be one of the flats in a building in Lekki, Lagos where its operatives arrested nine suspected fraudsters.
The statement was titled, “EFCC Explains Presence Of Operatives At Dorathy Bachor’s House.’
It read, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a post on Instagram by one Dorothy Bachor, alleging that operatives of the Commission broke into her home in the early hours of today, 23rd August 2021
“The Commission can confirm that operatives from the Lagos Command of the Commission, acting on verified intelligence, executed a Search Warrant at a block of flats located in the Lekki area of Lagos on Monday, 23rd August 2021 during which nine internet fraud suspects were arrested.
“Ms. Bachor’s apartment happened to be one of the flats in the building. EFCC operatives had knocked on her entrance door, identified themselves as being from the Commission on a mission to execute a Search Warrant. But they were refused entry, for several minutes by Bachor’s sister. The operatives were left with no choice than to force their way in, lest suspects escape or destroy vital evidence.
“It is important to state that law-abiding citizens have no reason to refuse the execution of a validly obtained Search Warrant. And, contrary to the information making the rounds in the social media, Ms. Bachor was not present during the operation and the anti- EFCC stories about her coming out half-naked among other fantastical details appear to have been invented to fit the pattern she and other internet-fueled stars so desperately want to push about the EFCC.
“It is important to reiterate that nine alleged internet fraud suspects were apprehended in the block of flats housing Ms. Bachor’s apartment.”