What began as a lively, well-advertised private event at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta turned into a night of chaos and fear in the early hours of Saturday, when more than 50 armed men stormed the premises, firing shots and ordering guests to the ground.
By dawn, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed it had carried out a raid in Abeokuta — but on a hotel, not the library — arresting 93 suspected internet fraudsters. The OOPL management, however, tells a different story: the “Gestapo-like” operation, they say, unfolded on their property without warning, without warrants, and with devastating consequences.
“They fired into the air and threatened to kill people”
According to the OOPL, the invasion began at around 2 a.m. The intruders, led by a man identified only as Olapade, poured into the library grounds in full combat gear, brandishing weapons and claiming to be EFCC operatives.
“They were shooting guns, threatening to kill people,” the management said in a statement. “Panic broke out immediately. People ran in every direction. Several sustained serious injuries trying to escape the near carnage.”
The library insists there had been no prior notice from the EFCC and no coordination with the police officers already stationed at its gates. Officers from the nearby Kemta Police Station — who had been invited by the event organisers for security — also denied any foreknowledge of the raid.
EFCC says it was a targeted operation — but OOPL disputes it
The EFCC maintains that its Saturday operation was based on intelligence and that it had informed police ahead of time. But OOPL management says this claim doesn’t hold water — and that the commission’s operatives produced neither search warrants nor arrest warrants.
The institution, named after former President Olusegun Obasanjo, called the raid “a clear case of invasion of private property” and accused the EFCC of infringing on the rights of the venue and its guests.
“This was a private event, advertised publicly days before. Guests came expecting music, food, and safety — not bullets and threats,” the statement read.
Demands for answers — and an apology
In the wake of the incident, OOPL has launched its own investigation and vowed to escalate the matter to the highest levels of authority — including the EFCC leadership, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Security.
Management is demanding a full explanation and a public apology from the EFCC.
“If this apology is not forthcoming,” they warned, “we will be compelled to seek legal redress and sanctions as appropriate.”
For now, the questions linger: Was the EFCC at the wrong address? Or did an anti-fraud sting cross a line into an unprovoked assault on one of Nigeria’s most recognisable landmarks?
