The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Inspector General of Police to apologize for last Sunday’s invasion of its premises.
It also demanded N3.5 billion in restitution for damages caused to victims and to atone for harm done to the institution’s reputation and that of its chief promoter, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Managing Director of OOPL, Vitalis Ortese, made the demands during a press briefing in Abeokuta, describing the EFCC’s actions as “unlawful” and “a direct assault on everything the institution stands for.”
Reports indicated that EFCC operatives stormed the OOPL premises in the early hours of Sunday, arresting 93 suspected internet fraudsters while seizing 18 vehicles and mobile devices.
Ortese stated that the management was determined to pursue all legal avenues to prevent a recurrence. He said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Nigeria Police Force, are jointly and severally liable for the deliberate embarrassing and utterly malicious damage occasioned by their invasion of August 9 and 10, 2025 as aforestated.”
He further asserted, “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, Olusegun Obasanjo, who was Head of State (1976-1979) and President of Nigeria (1999-2007).”
Ortese emphasized that the invasion was intended to damage the institution’s reputation, stating, “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 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.”
The OOPL demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, adding, “We, therefore, demand a comprehensive investigation be undertaken by all relevant security agencies with their reports openly published, especially regarding the brutalization of our patrons being citizens who had apparently done nothing wrong nor apparently infracted any law other than engaging in a party as allowed under the law.”
Highlighting the sensitivity of the location, Ortese noted, “In particular, it is a notorious fact of public knowledge that Chief 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 unfortunately occurred.”
The library demanded public apologies from the EFCC chairman and the Inspector General of Police, to be published across major media platforms, including television, print, and social media outlets such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Channels TV, AIT, NTA, TVC, Arise TV, Premium Times, and Sahara Reporters.
Additionally, Ortese stated, “That 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 100; be paid in the amount of at least N1 Billion. We also demand that a further N 2.5 Billion be paid in token acknowledgment and atonement for the immense damage caused to the reputation, business and our financial reputation as well to the reputation of our Chief Promoter.”
The OOPL has engaged legal counsel and security experts to ensure accountability. Ortese warned, “We have further instructed our lawyers that should these demands not be met in full within the next seven days from today, Wednesday August 13, 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.”
