EFCC Chief Orders Arrest of Officers for Assaulting Female Hotel Worker in Lagos

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

Olukoyede’s directive was prompted by a viral video showing EFCC officers manhandling a female hotel worker. The video revealed that the officials had invaded the Annex and Regional hotels at around 4 am on June 27, while guests were asleep.

A social commentator, @pidomnigeria, posted the videos on X.com, providing details of the incident. 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.”

The commentator added, “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.”

Our correspondent, who reviewed the video online, observed EFCC operatives brutalizing the hotel manager immediately after breaking into the general room where she was sleeping. Another video captured gunshots as people scrambled to safety during the early morning invasion, causing panic among workers, guests, and nearby residents.

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

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, issued a statement confirming the chairman’s order for a thorough investigation into the incident. Oyewale noted, “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.”

Oyewale continued, “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.”

The statement concluded with Olukoyede’s assurance to the public, “Olukoyede assures the general public that the EFCC would continue to ply its job professionally and with profound respect for the rule of law.”