10th October, 2023
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday fell into the trap set by Skales by confirming that its operatives invaded the entertainer’s residence on Monday night.
EFCC confirmed the invasion on Tuesday afternoon after it had earlier denied the raid.
Skales had gone on social media on Tuesday morning to cry out over the “illegal raid” of his residence by EFCC operatives on Monday night.
Skales said he had a panic attack as the operatives stormed his house at a time he was preparing to sleep after performing at Felabration concert.
He said: “So #officialEFCC pulled up to my house with 3 men with guns and some with sticks and hammers lol, they broke my back door while I was sleeping on the bed with my 6month old daughter, imagine I had a panic attack because of my health issues. Is this not a crime?”
The entertainer added that they found nothing incriminating on him but they arrested two persons who were in his house at the time of the raid.
But in an interview with Punch, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, stated that Skales’ claims were unfounded, adding that officials of the anti-graft agency do not operate in such a manner.
He said, “Number 1, we don’t invade. Number 2, we don’t conduct any raids. Number 3, there are ways and rules to identify a regular EFCC operative.
“So, to all intents and purposes, all of his claims, they are totally removed from what an EFCC operation looks like.”
Oyewale also said the incident might be an allegation, as the invaders could be impersonators of the EFCC roaming around.
“People can make allegations but the authenticity of the allegation viz a viz the reality on the ground concerning any organisation you’re talking about is important.
“There are impersonations all around, all over the place. So, they are not. We are very polite. We don’t do all those things,” Oyewale said.
Oyewale also called on the singer to show evidence of his claims.
“And I will want him to come forward, if he has photo evidence or video evidence, to show that’s it’s an EFCC thing, because we don’t have such things,” Oyewale added.
How EFCC fell into Skales’ trap.
Prior to the interview granted by Oyewale, Skales revealed on social media that he had no video recordings of the night raid because his phone was seized by operatives of the anti-graft agency.
It appeared that the operatives who carried out the raid believed the entertainer’s statement on Twitter (now X) and decided to deny the raid since the accuser claims to have no evidence.
However, seeing the rebuttal from EFCC, Skales began to release recordings of the night raid that was captured by his neighbors.
The videos nailed EFCC and it operatives.
On seeing the evidence uploaded on social media by Skales, EFCC needed a way to spin the matter.
EFCC’s spokesman Oyewale then issued another statement confirming that two persons were arrested in Skales’ residence, but he never mentioned the mode of the operation that led to the arrest.
Below is the statement released by EFCC’s Dele Oyewale after the initial denial.
Operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 arrested two suspected internet fraudsters at House F10, Victoria Crest 4, Lekki, Lagos.
The suspects: Udemba Chukwuemeka( a.k.a Jody) and Jamal Jamiu Onasola( a.k.a. Jamal) were arrested at the residence of a musician: John Njeng Njeng( a.k.a skales).
The two suspects, suspected of being involved in dating scam, described Njeng as their ” mentor”. While Chukwuemeka has been in Njeng’s residence for two years, Onasola has only stayed there for few months.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.