EFCC Operatives Claim Hostility During Raid on Urban Radio Enugu
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to investigate allegations of obstruction by officials of Urban Radio Enugu during a raid at the station on Monday.
According to reports, the EFCC operatives arrested presenter Favour Ekoh, who was allegedly involved in a Ponzi scheme involving approximately N700 million and about 50 victims.
According to EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the operatives arrived at the radio station with a warrant for Ekoh’s arrest while a program, Prime Time, was airing and noted that the officers identified themselves to the station’s Managing Director, Bamikole Owoyomi, but were met with hostility when a staff member called for the gate to be locked, effectively holding the operatives inside the premises.
Faced with this obstruction, the EFCC operatives called for backup, leading to the eventual arrest of Owoyomi, Ekoh, and two security guards who had participated in the lockdown. Oyewale clarified that Ekoh was not arrested during the live broadcast, and the EFCC operatives did not disrupt the station’s activities or seize any equipment.
The investigation into Ekoh stems from claims that she lured victims into a fraudulent investment scheme called “Life Trading,” run by Leverage Index Limited. Victims reported that after investing their money with promises of a 10 percent return, the company closed its office without paying them. Oyewale expressed disappointment that a media organization would obstruct law enforcement and called for a thorough investigation into the station’s actions.
