Officials of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission have battered a Rice farmer, Divine Nwonye and staff of the Federal Road Safety Corp in Enugu, Sunday Odo, during a midnight raid in their residence.
Loading ...It was gathered that the operatives equally destroyed doors and windows of the victims’ apartment, without disclosing the reason for the invasion which took place on Thursday, July 1, 2021 at No 2 Umuaba Street, New Haven Extension, Enugu.
Nwonye and Odo, who were nursing their wounds in their hospital beds told our correspondent that they were yet to be told their offences for the operatives of EFCC to have visited them with such horror.
Our correspondent report that Nwonye had bruises in his back with swollen shoulder while Odo had neck fracture and bruises in his back and face.
Narrating the incident, Nwonye said, “I was sleeping around 3 a.m on Thursday, I heard bangs on the gate. I woke and because I am living in a third floor of three storey building at New Haven Extension, Enugu. So, I looked through the window and saw two commuter Hiace outside the gate and saw people climbing the perimeter fence.
“I was so terrified and there was no light. I was confused and I looked through the window again, they had opened the gate and some were climbing with lader to enter first floor. Shortly they started breaking windows and doors.
“They were moving from one apartment to another. I was confused and I woke my children, my wife and my brother working with FRSC and we started praying.”
Nwonye explained that his brother, Odo was newly transferred to Enugu from Ebonyi State Sector Command. “So after work sometimes he come to my house to sleep because his has not gotten an apartment in Enugu and his family is still in Abakaliki.
“We felt they were armed robbers because the people I saw were not wearing uniform. We were praying until when they got to my apartment, broke the iron doors and came in.
“They lie me down with my wife children and ransacked the apartment. They neither mentioned their mission nor wore uniform. So while we were lying facedown, they started hitting me and my 8- years old son with iron pipe they were carrying.
“While they were ransacking the apartment, they saw my brother where he hide himself. They dragged him out to the parlor, laid him down and started beating with the iron pipe. After the beaten they took two of us down, myself and brother down.”
He added, “when we got down, I saw some people that wore mobile police uniform wielding AK-47 rifles. But before they broke into my house I had called New Haven Police Division and alerted them the development but they didn’t come until they had dragged us into their vehicle.
“They did not tell us who they were until we found ourselves at the Enugu Zonal office of EFCC. When we came down from the bus, they took my phone and started pressing it and after awhile it was returned to me and they asked me to go. They held my farm implement, cutlass.”
Nwonye stated that when he enquired why they destroyed broke into apartment, destroyed doors and assaulted his family members, they asked him to shut up.
Collaborating Nwonye’s narration, Odo said “EFCC operatives said they beat us because we didn’t open the door.”
He queried, “who would have opened his door by 3 a.m, no light for someone who climbed through perimeter fence and subsequently through window without disclosing their mission or who they were. There is insecurity everywhere in the country. They could have been kidnappers.
“What stopped them if they came to effect arrest to go straight to the apartment. Or in alternative block the gate and wait till morning so that when people are coming out they will be picking those they wanted.”
He added “It is criminal for law enforcement agents to go around with chisel and hammer to break people’s doors and windows. My brother is only a tenant but they have destroyed someone’s investment. They also did not tell us any reason why they came and destroyed the apartment up till now.”
When the spokesperson of the EFCC in Enugu Zonal office, Mrs Bethel Ude, was contacted on telephone, said she had no such information.
“Sorry my dear, I don’t have such information.”
