The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations of brutality during a recent sting operation in Akure, Ondo State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale described the video evidence purportedly showing brutality by its operatives as ‘stage-managed’ and ‘false’.
Oyewale confirmed that the commission arrested 127 suspected internet fraudsters in a simultaneous raid on two clubs in Akure on Saturday but denied using tear gas or brutalizing any suspects.
According to Oyewale, the EFCC operatives conducted themselves professionally, and no damage was done to the CCTV facility at the scene.
The commission has begun profiling the suspects and will prosecute them accordingly, Oyewale added.
The EFCC’s statement came in response to a viral video showing two women with lacerated bodies, alleging that they were brutalized by EFCC operatives during the raid.
Oyewale’s words: “The Commission wants the public to discountenance the trending video as it may have been stage-managed to achieve motives that are unclear.
“The Commission will subject this video to forensic analysis to establish its falsehood and prepare a case against purveyors of this distasteful stunt.
“The Commission wishes to state that no suspect was assaulted, brutalised or subjected to any dehumanising treatment during the Saturday operation.
“It is also false that tear gas was fired at the crime scene. Our personnel do not use tear gas during sting operations.
“The Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC forecloses the use of brute force or unprofessional conduct in the course of any operation. The EFCC is a civilised law enforcement agency with optimal respect for human dignity and the rule of law.”