Following a report of a raid conducted by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a radio station, Urban 94.5FM in Enugu during a live broadcast, allegedly seizing equipment valued at millions of naira and arresting several staff members, including a presenter, the Commission has provided clarifications.
According to Sahara Reporters, Dele Oyewale, the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, in a statement he made to them said that the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command had gone to the station specifically to apprehend a journalist connected to a Ponzi fraud scheme, who had failed to respond to the Commission’s prior invitation.
Oyewale said the presenter was taken into custody, provided a statement, and was released shortly thereafter, stressing that no equipment was removed from the station, contradicting earlier claims of seized property.
He said, “All the report that our people (EFCC) moved to the newsroom and carted their equipment, there’s nothing like that.
“What happened is this, the fellow that was arrested is a suspect in Ponzi scheme where over 103 people were defrauded and unfortunately the fellow happened to be a staff of that Radio Station.
“Investigative head; they have written letter to her and all of that but she did not respond and because of the severity of the matter, the number of people involved, just imagine somebody a journalist getting involved in Ponzi scheme.
“So they have to arrest her, brought her to our office to make a statement and they released her immediately. No equipment was taken, nothing was taken. It is normal way of our work. It is unfortunate that she is a journalist but whether a journalist or whoever a suspect is a suspect. I am even worried that media staff would engage in such kind of thing.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Enugu Council, Comrade Sam Udekwe, condemned the action of the Commission, insisting that “we’re not in military era”.