…School is Under Investigation – EFCC

LAGOS — The management of Goodwill School, Ikorodu, Lagos, has accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of invading their school premises and assaulting some teachers and students.

According to the school, on Thursday, February 27, 2025, EFCC officers entered the classrooms and informed the teachers and pupils that the anti-graft agency had taken over the school through a final forfeiture order obtained in January 2025 via an ex parte motion, without prior notification to the other party.

The acting Vice Principal of Goodwill Private Schools, Mr. Olalekan Adewale, recounted how the sight of armed officers left students terrified. He described how one pupil was so traumatized that she began vomiting.

He said: “The EFCC officers even threatened to arrest me but changed their minds when the teachers and pupils insisted they would accompany me to their office in Lagos Island. We were all embarrassed as they harassed everyone simply because we refused to accept the letter they brought from their office. It was a traumatic experience for both teachers and students alike.”

The proprietor of Goodwill School, Mr. Omoniyi Enikuomehin, accused EFCC officials of forcibly evicting students and staff from the premises and attempting to detain the Vice Principal.

*”I wasn’t around when the EFCC officials came, but I was informed that two of them were armed. They entered the school compound and told students that the school now belonged to the EFCC.

They met with the Vice Principal, Mr. Olalekan, and asked him to sign a letter. He declined, stating that he had no instructions from the management to do so. The officers then threatened to arrest him, but the teachers and students refused to let him go alone.”*

EFCC Denies Assault Allegations

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson Mr. Dele Oyewale denied claims that officers assaulted anyone at the school.

“We do not storm locations; we conduct our operations lawfully. The Goodwill School case is under investigation, and the matter is in court. The court granted final forfeiture of the property to the commission, following legal procedures.

The court had initially issued an interim injunction, directing the commission to publish a notice in two national newspapers for any interested party to contest the forfeiture. This was done within 14 days before we obtained the final forfeiture order.

Once a property is forfeited to the government, no business can be conducted there. Our officers simply informed the school that the property was under litigation and had been forfeited. They did not arrest or assault anyone. The rightful owner of the property was aware of the legal processes.”*

Documents reviewed by Vanguard indicate that the EFCC’s action stems from a contractual dispute between a first-generation bank and Mrs. Olabisi Victoria Olaiya.

A petition by the law firm Ronke Adekoya & Co., on behalf of Mrs. Olaiya, accused the bank of failing to uphold a contractual agreement regarding a mortgaged property.

Part of Goodwill School was reportedly used as collateral for a loan. When the property owner sought to sell it to repay the debt, the bank allegedly bypassed due process by selling it to Mrs. Olaiya without advertising for competitive bidding.

When the original owner objected, the bank halted the transfer of title documents to Mrs. Olaiya. She then petitioned the EFCC to recover her money. In response, the EFCC secured an ex parte order for both interim and final forfeiture of the property.

The proprietor of Goodwill School has since notified the court that he was not given prior notice before the forfeiture order was issued. The court subsequently ruled for a status quo to be maintained. However, the EFCC proceeded with its enforcement, leading to the confrontation at the school. (Vanguard)

• EFCC