By: Lauretta Fagbohun, Abeokuta.
The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, has accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of unlawfully invading its premises in the early hours of Sunday, August 10, 2025.
In a statement issued the same day, OOPL alleged that at about 2 a.m., more than 50 heavily armed men purportedly EFCC operatives led by one identified as Olapade stormed the complex in what it described as a “Gestapo-like” operation. According to the facility’s Managing Director, Mr. Vitalis Ortese, the operatives fired shots into the air, threatened to kill people, and triggered panic that left several guests injured as they tried to flee.
Ortese said the EFCC team claimed to be acting on “intelligence” about a private event at the amusement park section of the complex and insisted the police had been notified. However, police officers stationed at the gates and others from Kemta Police Station, invited by the event organisers, reportedly denied prior knowledge of the raid and confirmed that no search warrant was presented.
Describing the incident as “a blatant invasion of private property and an infringement on the rights of law-abiding citizens,” the management stressed that the event had been publicly advertised for days. OOPL said it had begun an internal investigation and would petition the EFCC, the police, and the Department of State Services (DSS). It also demanded a public apology and threatened legal action if its demands were not met.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, in a statement on its official X and Instagram accounts, confirmed that its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 carried out an intelligence-led sting operation at the venue. The Commission said 93 suspected internet fraudsters were arrested, and 18 vehicles and several mobile devices were recovered.
The targeted event, the “Wet and Rave: Splash Extravaganza” party featuring singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, had reportedly been moved at the last minute from Funturf inside the MKO Abiola Sports Arena to Rounda Funspot within the OOPL premises.
The EFCC’s statement did not address OOPL’s claims about the absence of a warrant, alleged shooting, or injuries sustained during the operation. Image.
