Abuja Lawyer Accuses EFCC Operatives of Torturing Suspect

An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has accused the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of beating up a citizen and banging his head against wall after the suspect voluntarily turned himself in.

The lawyer stated this while narrating an encounter with “overzealous operatives” of EFCC at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Abuja earlier on Wednesday.

According to the Managing Partner of Law Corridor, he was at the EFCC office on Wednesday alongside a citizen, who came from Benue State and whom he had advised to turn himself in for investigation at the office of the anti-graft agency.

Olajengbesi, who took to his Facebook page on Thursday to chronicle events at the EFCC office, expressed shock that EFCC officers physically abused and banged the head of the citizen against a wall after he voluntarily turned himself in for investigation.

The lawyer wrote, “My firm is providing legal services to a citizen who came all the way from Benue for investigation by the EFCC. His brother had been detained, and I personally advised him to turn himself in, and he needed the wisdom of my words. Despite it not being directly under my work schedule but to strengthen his resolve, I offered to accompany him and the lawyer handling the matter to commission.

“Arriving at the EFCC Headquarters, specifically the Capital Market (CFMIS), not even the Cybercrime or Advance Fee Fraud department, which implies some level of solid financial experts investigators. I was appalled by the behaviour of the officers in the department who ought to be solid transaction investigators with lots of ethical experience and professionalism.

“The investigating officer confirmed his identity and promptly ordered him inside, referring to him with derogatory language, ‘the bastard they were looking for’. As he stepped in, he was met with a series of brutal slaps from another woman, presumably the 2IC (second in command). The assault continued relentlessly, shocking me beyond belief. Even the police or civil defence would not act in such a manner, unless faced with extreme circumstances like armed robbery.

“Of all the officers, one Chidera Godwin stood out for his sheer brutality. He assaulted the man in a crude and uncivilized manner that defied comprehension. Witnessing this, I could not help but doubt his education and humanity. Chidera further humiliated the man, slapped him repeatedly, and even banged his head against the wall.”

According to Olajengbesi, he reported the incident to the SERVICOM department in the EFCC and that they acted very swift and professional to address the issues but the officers who committed the offence denied beating the man, adding that “One other green-horned operative, a young officer, jokingly said to my ears that ‘you dey report EFCC to EFCC’, and finished off by saying, ‘we dey beat and detain lawyer for here oh’. That’s how deep the rot goes! The sheer impertinence!”