EFCC orders arrest of power-drunk officers for assaulting hotel worker

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, on Thursday, ordered the arrest of two officers of the commission allegedly involved in the manhandling of a female hotel worker in Lagos.

Olukoyede’s directive was in response to a viral video showing two officers manhandling a female hotel worker in Lagos.

The viral video showed the EFCC officials invading the Annex and Regional hotels, around 4 am on June 27, while guests were asleep.

Our correspondent, while assessing a video of the incident trending online, observed as some of the EFCC operatives brutalised a lady, who was said to be the manager of one of the hotels, immediately after they broke into the general room where she was sleeping.

In another video, our correspondent heard gunshots as people scampered to safety at the scene of the invasion that sent shivers down the spine of workers, customers and residents living close to the hotels.

A social commentator, @pidomnigeria, who posted the videos and chronicled the circumstances surrounding the invasion on X.com, said the invasion happened in the early hours of Thursday, adding that the EFCC operatives reportedly broke into rooms in the hotels and dispossessed customers of their belongings.

The post read, “EFCC @officialEFCC officials early this morning invaded Annex and Regional hotels in Isashi, Ojo, Lagos, owned by same person. They broke into rooms, assaulted guests and workers, and stole ATM cards, money and phones. (They) shot sporadically at guests, injured innocent customers, and arrested lots of people. Nigeria is a Banana Republic.

“For clarity, the room they broke into in this CCTV footage belongs to workers and staff of the hotel. The person in there is the manager, whom they assaulted. She heard their noise and woke up from sleep by past 4 am. Only for them to break into the room and they started assaulting her. They did the same thing to most of the guests. They beat and assaulted many of them. Both women and men.

“The camera was installed in the worker’s general room by the management of the hotel, so workers don’t sell out the room or engage in acts the hotel is against, or even smuggle things in there. It’s just for sleeping, but the convenience has no camera.”

The handle said some of the people arrested were still in the custody of the EFCC, adding that despite the overwhelming evidence, the EFCC would deny the case.

Hotel staff members alleged that the officials broke into rooms, assaulted guests and workers, and took away ATM cards, money, and phones.

But in a statement, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, noted that the EFCC chairman directed a thorough investigation into the incident.

Oyewale noted that the suspects arrested during the operation were still being profiled.

The statement read, “The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered the arrest of two officers of the commission allegedly involved in the manhandling of a female staff of Regional Hotel, Ojo, Lagos.

“The officers were sighted in a viral video assaulting the staff of the hotel in an early morning sting operation in Lagos. The operation yielded a sizable number of suspects who are still being profiled.

“The EFCC’s boss has also ordered detailed investigations of the operation carried out at the hotel and assured that appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken against any of the officers found to be culpable.

“Olukoyede assures the general public that the EFCC would continue to ply its job professionally and with profound respect for the rule of law.”