EFCC denies targeting Obasanjo library in internet fraud arrests

DDM News

(DDM) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified that its recent sting operation in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was not aimed at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

DDM gathered that the 93 suspected internet fraudsters arrested were apprehended at a hotel within the library’s precincts, not in the library itself.

The OOPL management had earlier condemned the operation, describing it as a calculated attack on former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

They alleged that EFCC operatives invaded the premises at night, arresting guests at the guest house within the OOPL facilities.

The library subsequently demanded ₦3.5 billion in compensation and a public apology within seven days, threatening legal action if the demands were not met.

In a statement on Thursday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale dismissed claims that the operation targeted Obasanjo’s facility.

He stated that the operation followed credible intelligence that the suspects were holding a pool party to celebrate alleged fraudulent activities.

According to DDM findings, the party was initially planned for two other locations but was moved to the hotel within the OOPL’s premises to evade detection.

“The planners got wind of the Commission’s intelligence and scampered to the OOPL, expecting a sort of cover from arrest,” he said.

Oyewale added that profiling of the suspects revealed most were implicated in offences such as impersonation, identity theft, and other forms of internet fraud.

He confirmed that 23 of the suspects would be arraigned on Friday, August 15, 2025, before Justice D. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The EFCC spokesperson noted that the arraignment would be conducted in batches, with the remaining suspects to be charged subsequently.

“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 reiterated.

DDM notes that the case has sparked public debate, with some Nigerians supporting EFCC’s action while others believe the agency should have handled the matter more discreetly to avoid reputational harm to the OOPL.

This development comes amid heightened anti-corruption operations across the country, as the EFCC intensifies its crackdown on cybercrime syndicates.

The agency has maintained that it will pursue internet fraud cases aggressively, regardless of where the suspects attempt to hide.

Meanwhile, legal observers say the OOPL’s compensation demand sets the stage for a possible high-profile legal battle.

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