The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cleared the air on its raid on the home of a former Big Brother Naija ‘Lockdown Season’ housemate, Dorathy Bachor.
Ms Bachor had in a post on her Instagram page said some EFCC operatives broke the door to her house at about 4 a.m on Monday searching for someone who ran into her estate in the Lekki area of Lagos.
The former TV reality show housemate said the operatives made their way into her living room in their search for the suspect.
While condemning the officer’s invasion, Ms Bachor said the incident left her shaking and her mother in a panic state.
“At 4:45 a.m., I heard a loud sound, and voices followed after. I rushed out almost naked to see fully armed @officialefcc men in my living room,” Ms Dorathy partly stated on her Instagram story.
“One of them said, ‘Oh no, that Big Brother babe be this’, in my confused state, I am trying to understand what in the hell was going on. Why did they break down my door.”
“I ran back upstairs to almost see my mum having a panic attack,” Dorathy added. What is the need of being a citizen of this country if I can’t feel safe in my own house @officialefcc on God, you have no right,” her Instagram post read in part.
However, in reaction to the claims, the EFCC explained that it executed a search warrant at Ms Bachor’s house which happened to be one of the flats in a building where nine suspected fraudsters were arrested.
The commission said this in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page, on Monday.
The statement, titled, ‘EFCC Explains Presence Of Operatives At Dorathy Bachor’s House,’ explained that the commission’s operatives, during the raid, knocked on the door and identified themselves, “But they were refused entry, for several minutes by Bachor’s sister.”
“The operatives were left with no choice than to force their way in, lest suspects escape or destroy vital evidence,” the statement also read.
It noted “that law-abiding citizens have no reason to refuse the execution of a validly obtained Search Warrant.
The anti-graft agency dismissed claims that Ms Bachor was half-naked during the operation, adding that the ex-BBNaija housemate was not present during the operation
The statement reads: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a post on Instagram by one Dorothy Bachor, alleging that operatives of the Commission broke into her home in the early hours of today, 23rd August 2021
“The Commission can confirm that operatives from the Lagos Command of the Commission, acting on verified intelligence, executed a Search Warrant at a block of flats located in the Lekki area of Lagos on Monday, 23rd August 2021 during which nine internet fraud suspects were arrested.
“Ms Bachor’s apartment happened to be one of the flats in the building. EFCC operatives had knocked on her entrance door, identified themselves as being from the Commission on a mission to execute a Search Warrant. But they were refused entry, for several minutes by Bachor’s sister. The operatives were left with no choice than to force their way in, lest suspects escape or destroy vital evidence.
“It is important to state that law-abiding citizens have no reason to refuse the execution of a validly obtained Search Warrant. And, contrary to the information making the rounds in the social media, Ms. Bachor was not present during the operation and the anti- EFCC stories about her coming out half-naked among other fantastical details appear to have been invented to fit the pattern she and other internet-fueled stars so desperately want to push about the EFCC.
“It is important to reiterate that nine alleged internet fraud suspects were apprehended in the block of flats housing Ms. Bachor’s apartment.”
