The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has refuted claims of harassment and misconduct following a sting operation that led to the arrest of 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The operation, which took place on Friday at Majesty Estate, NTA Road, sparked outrage after a viral video emerged showing a damaged apartment door, with some residents alleging that EFCC operatives harassed innocent individuals during the raid.
Responding to the allegations, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, described the video and the claims as “strange and unwarranted.”
He insisted that the operatives conducted themselves professionally and followed due process throughout the exercise.
“In the course of the operation, the apartment of one of the residents that the Commission’s intelligence flagged was visited,” Oyewale explained in a statement issued Saturday.
“For some inexplicable reason, the residents refused to open their doors even after operatives of the Commission properly introduced themselves and clearly stated their mission.”
He added, “Consequently, one of the doors was forced open, and a search was carried out. No arrests were made in that particular apartment, and no misconduct occurred during the operation.”
The EFCC said the raid was initiated based on a distress call from some residents of the estate who raised concerns about the rising number of suspected internet fraudsters in the area.
“Contrary to the narrative circulating online, many of the estate residents expressed appreciation for the Commission’s intervention,” Oyewale noted. “The Commission finds reports of a viral video of a broken door and harassment of residents in the Estate strange and unwarranted.”
He stressed that while the EFCC remains committed to professionalism and the rule of law, it would not tolerate any form of overzealousness or misconduct by its personnel.
“The Commission will not hesitate to discipline any operative who acts outside the law. However, in this case, no such breach occurred,” he stated.
The EFCC reassured the public of its dedication to ethical standards in all operations and urged citizens to rely on verified information rather than viral content lacking context.
