By Agboola Aluko, GLiDE NEWS
A n early morning raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sparked online outrage after a resident, known as @egbokavictory_ (ThatCanvaPro), shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that EFCC officers stormed his compound at 4am.
“4am today EFCC raided my compound.......” he tweeted, later assuring worried followers that although it was a “scary experience,” he was physically unharmed.
His post has since prompted a wave of reactions and similar stories from other Nigerians who allege that the EFCC routinely targets young, digitally-skilled individuals without proper investigations.
A user with the handle @dreamchaserjtk recounted a near-identical raid on his residence in 2022:
“This is also how my door looked like when EFCC raided my house in 2022 because they thought I was a yahoo boy.
Lmao 😂 they broke into my house like criminals. My daughter wasn’t even up to a year old and she’s already been traumatized by these guys.
When they realized I wasn’t into fraud, they told me sorry.**”
The user further criticised the EFCC’s methods, describing the agency as “operating like the Nigerian police,” relying on “trial and error” raids with little or no intelligence gathering.
“The EFCC has a habit of targeting young people living good, without proper investigation. They assume anyone doing well must be into fraud.”
The tweet reflects a growing sentiment among Nigerian youths that the EFCC disproportionately targets individuals involved in legitimate digital professions such as freelancing, tech, and content creation, based solely on lifestyle or appearance.
Calls for Reform
While the EFCC has defended its operations in the past as part of its mandate to fight financial crimes, critics argue that the agency's tactics are increasingly alienating innocent citizens and damaging property without consequences.
Public outrage also intensified last year when a confrontation during one such raid led to the death of an EFCC officer—an incident that revealed deep mistrust between young Nigerians and law enforcement agencies.
Calls are now mounting for the EFCC to adopt more intelligent, evidence-based operations, and to embrace professionalism in line with international standards.
As of press time, the EFCC has yet to comment on the latest allegations or clarify the reason for Monday’s 4am operation.
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