The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied allegations by Nigerian musician and hotel owner Felix Duke that its operatives raided his Lagos hotel, damaged property, and stole foreign currency.
Duke, who also serves as president of the Creative Industry Group, alleged that on August 1, eight armed men arrived at the Duke and Duchess Hotel in the Abule Egba area in an unmarked bus, identifying themselves as EFCC personnel but failing to present any warrant.
He claimed the men attempted to detain his wife, an American citizen, who refused to comply without a court order.
“They blocked the hotel entrance, chased away customers, and forcibly entered rooms, saying they were looking for me. I later found out they made away with €5,000 from my room,” Duke told journalists.
He suggested the incident was linked to an ongoing land dispute with a retired soldier who had previously petitioned the EFCC against him. According to Duke, he had earlier filed a separate petition against the same individual.
The musician said he has taken legal action against both the EFCC and the petitioner, alleging a breach of his fundamental rights. His suit seeks a formal apology and N50 million in damages.
In a swift reaction on Saturday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale denied any connection to the reported incident.
“There is nothing like that. The Lagos Directorate confirmed no such operation occurred. It’s not the EFCC,” Oyewale stated, adding that the agency’s most recent operation in Lagos took place on Wednesday at Chevron on Lagos Island, resulting in several arrests.
He also advised Duke to “redirect his energy and insinuations to other quarters, not the EFCC.”
