EFCC denies harassment, intimidation during Lekki estate raid

The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied allegations of harassment, intimidation and unlawful arrests during its raid on Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State.

The commission said the operation, conducted by operatives of its Lagos Directorate 1 at about 5 am on Monday, October 26, 2026, led to the arrest of 21 suspected cybercrime fraudsters.

In a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the operation targeted suspects allegedly defrauding unsuspecting victims through gift cards, cryptocurrencies and international money transfers while impersonating other individuals.

Oyewale said five exotic cars were also recovered during the operation, which he attributed to surveillance and reconnaissance conducted before the raid.

“Operatives of the Lagos Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, October 26, 2026 carried out a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, to apprehend suspected cybercrime fraudsters obtaining money from unsuspecting victims through gift cards, crypto currencies and international money transfers by impersonating several individuals.

“The operation, carried out by 5am, yielded the arrest of 21 suspected cybercrime fraudsters and five exotic cars. The fraudsters were apprehended professionally owing to diligent pre-arrest surveillance and reconnaissance of the activities of the fraudsters. ”

He said preliminary investigations indicted 19 of the 21 suspects, while the remaining two had been released.

“Preliminary investigations of the arrested suspects indicted 19 of them while the remaining two have been released.

“All the indicted suspects will be arraigned in court immediately,” the statement said.

Oyewale also spoke on the conduct of a young woman who allegedly attempted to alert the suspects by making telephone calls during the operation.

According to him, the woman was held and her phone confiscated until the operation was concluded, after which the device was returned to her.

“A young lady that stood in the way of the operation by making telephone calls to alert the fraudsters was held and her phone confiscated until the conclusion of the operation. The phone was later released to her

“The Sting Operation at Applewood Estate was professionally carried out, with no record of harassment, intimidation or unlawful arrest of anyone,” he said.

The EFCC urged members of the public to support its efforts against economic and financial crimes, adding that it remained open to constructive engagement with Nigerians.

However, the commission warned that it would not allow what it described as blackmail and alarmism to undermine its mandate.