The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shed light on the recent raid at Urban 94.5FM, a radio station in Enugu, which led to the arrest of a presenter during a live broadcast. Contrary to initial reports, the Commission clarified that it did not seize equipment or arrest multiple staff members, as earlier speculated.
In a statement provided to Sahara Reporters, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, explained that the operation was specifically aimed at apprehending a journalist connected to a Ponzi fraud scheme. According to him, the journalist had ignored previous invitations by the Commission to address allegations related to her involvement in the fraudulent scheme.
Oyewale emphasized that the EFCC had acted within the bounds of the law. “What happened is this, the fellow that was arrested is a suspect in a Ponzi scheme where over 103 people were defrauded. Unfortunately, the individual happened to be a staff of that radio station,” he said. He further denied any claims of equipment being confiscated, stating, “All the reports that our people moved to the newsroom and carted their equipment—there’s nothing like that.”
Addressing the circumstances of the arrest, Oyewale revealed that the journalist had been under investigation due to the gravity of the fraud. He said, “Investigative heads had written to her, but she did not respond. Due to the severity of the matter and the number of victims involved, the Commission had no choice but to arrest her.” He noted that while it was unfortunate the individual was a journalist, her profession did not exempt her from the law.
Oyewale reiterated the Commission’s stance on the matter, stating, “Whether a journalist or whoever—a suspect is a suspect. I am even worried that media staff would engage in such kind of thing.” He also stressed that the suspect was released shortly after giving her statement, and no further action was taken against the radio station.
Earlier, there had been public outcry following the arrest, with some alleging that the EFCC had overstepped its bounds by disrupting the live broadcast and seizing equipment. However, Oyewale dismissed these claims as unfounded, emphasizing that the operation was solely focused on the individual involved in the fraud case.
In response to the incident, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Enugu, Comrade Sam Udekwe, criticized the EFCC’s actions, stating, “We’re not in a military era.” Udekwe argued that the raid, particularly during a live programme, was a heavy-handed approach that disregarded journalistic freedoms.
While Urban 94.5FM is known to uphold the ethics of the broadcasting profession, a staff member of the station, who pleaded anonymity, said the station is handling the matter with the intention of resolving it appropriately. The staff member added that the station is cooperating with all parties involved to ensure a fair and amicable conclusion to the situation.
