Obasanjo Seeks ₦3.5bn Compensation, Public Apology from EFCC Over ‘Invasion’ Within 7 Days

The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), yesterday demanded a sum of N3.6bn as damages from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its invasion of the library’s premises on August 10, 2025.

The OOPL also demanded a public apology from the anti-graft agency and the Nigeria  Police within the next seven days, failure which will force the management  of the Library to seek legal redress in the competent court of law.

The EFCC operatives had reportedly stormed the library, arresting 93 suspected internet fraudsters and seizing 18 vehicles and mobile devices.

Addressing newsmen  yesterday,the Managing Director of OOPL, Vitalis Ortese, condemned the EFCC’s actions as “unlawful” and “a direct assault on everything this institution stands for”.

While calling for a comprehensive investigation into the incident, with the reports openly published, Ortese said that the public apology from the EFCC and the Nigeria Police Force, should be published in major media platforms, such as TVC, Channel TV, AIT, Arise TV,  national newspapers, magazines,  specifically Premium Times and Sahara Reporters.

Breaking down the N3.5bn demanded for damages, he noted that the invasion caused the loss of at least N1billion in damages and bodily injuries suffered by those arrested.

He added that a sum of  N2.5b is demanded as a token acknowledgement and atonement for damages to the reputation and business of the OOPL.

Ortese, however, threatened that management will be left no choice but to seek legal redress if these demands are not met within the next seven days, starting from August 13, 2025.

He further described the EFCC’s actions as “a clear invasion of private property, infringement of OOPL rights as corporate citizens, and indeed a stark and blatant violation of the rights of the people who gathered for the event”.

‘The 1a.m – 3a.m, August 10th invasion of our premises by EFCC operatives is not only unlawful, it is a direct assault on everything this institution stands for and, worse of all, an assault on every rule of law that is supposed to be the guide rail for democracy”.

“This was not a coordinated security operation. It was a reckless, unannounced intrusion that endangered innocent lives and disrupted lawful activities. Families and international tourists were holidaying. Entrepreneurs were conducting business. Youths were organising musical shows and entertainment events. These are the very expressions of creativity and productivity we are meant to encourage—not criminalise”

“Yet, the EFCC has tepidly acknowledged the incident but, characteristically, put out statements which are at best half-truths, calculated to disguise their true intentions and motives, which was to wreck damage on patrons of OOPL, persons closely associated with OOPL, the institutional of OOPL itself and ultimately to attack the dignity and standing of H.E. (Chief) Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR and all his interests”

“To the Inspector General of Police, we raise a critical concern: your officers stationed at OOPL were left in the dark. They were not briefed, not respected, and not included in the operation. This glaring lack of inter-agency collaboration is unacceptable. It undermines the credibility of our national security framework and puts lives at risk”

“The EFCC and its Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, we say this: do your work. Pursue justice. But do so with discretion, professionalism, and respect. The indiscretion displayed in this operation has created an aura of fear among youths who are striving to earn legitimate incomes. It sends the wrong message – that creativity and enterprise are suspect, that ambition is dangerous, and that public spaces are unsafe. We note, that on 1st November, 2023, the EFCC published on its website, what they called their “Newly Revised Procedures on Arrests and Bail of suspects by the EFCC” and, its chairman, “directed that sting operations at night time be stopped in all the commands of the EFCC”, its begs the question, what is to be believed”

“This is not just about OOPL. It is about the soul of our democracy. It is about the right of every Nigerian to live, work, and gather in peace. It is about restoring the dignity of our institutions and the trust of our people”

“ We have engaged legal counsel, security experts, and civil society partners to demand accountability, enforce institutional respect, and protect the rights of our patrons and staff”

“We are fully persuaded that the acts are not only aggravated, unconstitutional, oppressive, capricious and arbitrary, the actions are also clearly actuated by malice against the institution of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and also of its Chief Promoter HE (Chief) Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR who was Head of State (1976-1979) and President of Nigeria (1999-2007).

“The foregoing actions are clearly calculated not only to oppress and brutalise as well as violate in gross terms, the fundamental and other rights of the more than one hundred (100) persons as aforestated; but also calculated to wreak maximum damage on the legitimate, commercial business and financial interests of our Client as well as damage the standing of our Client and its Chief Promoter in the eyes of right thinking members of the public both in Nigeria and internationally.

“We therefore demand a comprehensive investigation be undertaken by all relevant Security Agencies with their reports openly published, especially regarding the brutalisation of our patrons, who are citizens who had apparently done nothing wrong nor apparently infringed any law other than engaging in a party as allowed under the law.  It is a notorious fact of public knowledge that HE Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his family as well as several of his close friends and associates, live and/or reside at the OOPL premises where the sordid events as described above, unfortunately occurred”

“That relevant authorities of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the one hand, and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force on the other, both issue separate public apologies to be widely published in all major media platforms including television, the print as well as social outfits inclusive of X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Channels, AIT, NTA, TVC, Arise as well major newspaper and news magazines including Premium Times and Sahara Reporters”

“Immediate restitution for the damage caused, be made to those persons who were arrested and whose vehicle were carted away by the invasion force of the Police and EFCC, as well as for bodily injuries suffered by these persons numbering at least one hundred (100); be paid in the amount of at least One Billion Naira (N1Billion). We also demand that a further Two Billion and Five Hundred Million Naira (N 2.5 Billion) be paid in token acknowledgement and atonement for the immense damage caused to the reputation, business and our financial reputation as well to the reputation of our Chief Promoter”

“We have further instructed our lawyers that should these demands not be met in full within the next seven (7) days from today, Wednesday

August 13th 2025, we shall have no alternative but to proceed to seek redress in a competent court of law without further recourse to the Police and the EFCC; and in which case our demands will NOT be limited to the foregoing”, Ortese submitted.

Meanwhile,  the legal counsel to the OOPL, Olumide Ayeni, SAN  presented some evidence against the EFCC,  which included shells of bullet shot during the invasion.

Source: The Sun