The owner of Joyous Hotel and Suites in Nyanya, Abuja, has decried what he described as an illegal and violent raid carried out by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling for accountability and redress.
The hotelier, Mr. Gabriel Ogwuche Ogah, said the early morning operation on June 30 left his business in disarray, with property damaged, staff assaulted, and crucial surveillance equipment removed. “They destroyed our control room, removed our CCTV machines, broke doors, and beat up my staff. Up till now, we don’t have any footage, records, or guest list for that night. They took everything away,” Ogah stated.
The EFCC had earlier confirmed the arrest of 74 individuals from the hotel, claiming they were suspected internet fraudsters and that several items including mobile phones, a pistol, and motorcycles were recovered. However, Ogah questioned the legitimacy of the operation, insisting that no search warrant was presented and that there was no formal identification from the men who stormed his facility.
“This is not the first time this has happened,” he said. “We had a similar experience on April 28, also without any documentation or notice. In both cases, there was no formal introduction, no uniforms, and no warrant. We were simply left to deal with the aftermath.”
A hotel supervisor, Ms. Vivian Azubuike, corroborated the claim, describing how the operatives broke into the control room and forcibly removed CCTV footage. “They came around 2 a.m., forced their way in, broke down doors, and took away two guests. One of our staff was assaulted,” she recounted.
Another staff member, Mr. Apeh Monday, said the chaotic scene caused panic among guests. “One of our guests jumped out of a window thinking it was a robbery. He broke his leg. A staff member who was slapped during the raid resigned shortly after.”
Ogah also expressed doubt about the EFCC’s claim of recovering a pistol at the hotel. “How can we verify that? All our records were seized. How can we even confirm if the arrested individuals were our registered guests?”
He added that his legal team had submitted petitions to both the EFCC and the Inspector-General of Police, demanding a formal explanation, an apology, and compensation for damages incurred.
“We are not against law enforcement, but it must be done within the law. What we experienced was not just unlawful—it was traumatic,” Ogah concluded.
