The Niger State Police Command has dismissed claims that bandits disguised as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided a hotel in Minna and abducted 10 guests. The police clarified that the operation was actually conducted by the EFCC, not criminal elements.
Earlier reports had alleged that a group of armed men stormed White Hill Hotel on Shiroro Road in Chanchaga Local Government Area, posing as EFCC officers. The intruders were said to have disabled the hotel’s CCTV cameras before forcefully taking 10 individuals to an unknown location.
Citing an unnamed Assistant Commissioner of Police from the State Intelligence Department, the initial reports claimed that an investigation was underway to identify the attackers and locate the missing persons. The officer had also urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activities.
However, in response to inquiries on Sunday, the Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, dismissed the abduction claims. He stated that the operation was a legitimate raid carried out by EFCC operatives, not bandits.
“The Niger State Police Command wishes to respond to reports circulating in some online media that bandits attacked a hotel in Minna and abducted ten persons. This narrative is false. The operation was conducted by EFCC operatives,” Abiodun said.
Meanwhile, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, also confirmed that 11 suspected internet fraudsters were arrested during the raid.
In a statement released on Sunday, Oyewale denied any allegations of abduction, noting that the law enforcement action was conducted professionally.
“The EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Directorate, on Thursday, February 27, 2025, arrested 11 suspected internet fraudsters at White Hill Hotel, Chanchaga LGA, Niger State, following credible intelligence on their alleged involvement in fraudulent internet activities,” the statement read.
During the operation, EFCC operatives reportedly seized two vehicles and 13 mobile phones of different brands from the suspects.
“The commission’s operatives carried out the arrest professionally, with no motive or element of abduction,” Oyewale added, assuring that the suspects would be charged in court once investigations were completed.
