By Ayo Jones
Some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) laid a two- day siege on a private institution, Goodwill Private Schools, Ikorodu, Lagos state last Thursday and Friday and subsequently shut it down.
In the ensuing pandemonium, the Vice Principal of the school, Mr. Olalekan Adewale was physically assaulted while many students were injured as the EFCC operatives carried out the operation in a military style.
It was reliably gathered that the EFCC operatives took the action on Thursday, February 27 and Friday February 28, 2025, despite the pendency of a suit between Goodwill Private Schools and the Commission, and in spite of an assurance by the Court that it will dare not do such.
Counsel to the school, Dr Benson Enikuomehin , in a letter dated February 27, 2025 and addressed to the Registrar, Court 10, Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, noted that the action of the anti-graft agency was improper considering the fact that the matter was already before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The letter captioned “Re: Suit No. FHC/L/MISC/702/2024 between Pastor Sunday Omoniyi Enikuomehin and Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)- Invasion Of Goodwill Private Schools, Ikorodu, Lagos On The 27th Day Of February, 2025, noted that in spite of earlier assurances during court hearings, the EFCC went ahead and unleashed an attack on the school.
“EFCC (as anticipated) has been going to Goodwill Private Schools’ property in Ikorodu at awkward times to serve a purported document. The action taken by EFCC today, the 27th day of February, 2025 runs foul of the undertaking given by Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa Esq before His Lordship,” Enikuomehin stressed in the letter.
“The climax of their action came today (Thursday) when they invaded the school with armed men while the students were in their various classrooms.
“There was pandemonium everywhere and the disruption of academic work. The chaos affected the neighbourhood and sent everyone running helter skelter.
“We are of the strong view that the EFCC is not a law unto itself and should therefore not take law into its hands in a matter that is pending before the Honourable Court.
“By the action of the EFCC, the Commission intends to foist a fait accompli on the Honourable Court on the next adjourned date.
“The Commission has by this action indicated that it does not respect the rule of law, but will only use the Court to achieve its aim.
“In the light of the above, we humbly request the Honourable Court to abridge the time in which this matter will be heard.
“Kindly bring the above facts to the attention of my Noble Lord,” Dr Benson Enikuomehin appealed to the Court Registrar in the letter.
Counsel to EFCC, Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa was copied in the letter signed by the Head of Chambers, Lola Omoyele .
Dr Enikuomehin reminded the Registrar that the matter came before Justice A. O. Owoeye on February 5, 2025 in which he (Enikuomehin) represented the parties whose interest are affected in the suit, while Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa appeared for the Commission.
Enikuomehin had contended that the Defendant (EFCC) would take adverse steps to tamper with the matter while the suit is pending before the court.
Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa was also said to have concurred with the Court that the EFCC will not do anything untoward until the matter was heard.
The counsel to the anti-graft agency thereafter sought for a long adjournment for which the matter was adjourned till 7 April, 2025.
However, activities were disrupted on Thursday, February 27, 2025, when the EFCC operatives stormed Goodwill Private Schools, Ikorodu and pounced on the acting vice principal, Mr Olalekan Adewale. The following day, Friday February 28 2025, the EFCC operatives came again and sent the students and staff out of the school premises, in a forceful bid to seal up institution .
They reportedly told the teachers and students that the anti-graft commission has taken over their school vide a final forfeiture notice which they got through an ex parte order in January 2025.
Recounting his ordeal, the acting Vice Principal, Mr Adewale said he was thoroughly assaulted by the operatives adding that the students were also harassed to the extent that a female student started vomiting.
‘’The EFCC also threatened to arrest me but had to change their minds when the teachers and pupils insisted that they would go with me to their office in Lagos Island.
” We were all embarrassed, and they started harassing everybody since we refused to receive the letter they brought from their office. It was so traumatizing for the teachers and pupils alike,” he added.
Proprietor of Goodwill Private Schools, Pastor Omoniyi Enikuomehin, while recounting the genesis of the problem said he approached the First City Monument Bank, FCMB, in 2013 for a N30 million facility to upgrade the school.
He subsequently negotiated with FCMB to sell the property he used as collateral to defray the loan when it became difficult for him to service the loan. However, he noted with dismay that the bank chose a private entity to rather than going through the due process by advertising the property for sale .
It was learnt via a document (Deed of Assignment) that In 2023, a buyer , one Mrs Olabisi Victoria Olaiya paid N90 million for the property that was valued as 87 million in 2016 by FCMB, while other valuers put it at N180 million.
Pastor Enikuomehin having assigned his younger brother , Dr Benson Enikuomehin to liaise with the bank for the sale of the property and FCMB having realised that it made a mistake by selling off a mortgaged property without following due process refused to release the said documents to Mrs Olaiya.
Mrs Olaiya , having made the full payment without getting the documents of sale from FCMB , approached her lawyer, Ronke Adekoya and Co, in a letter dated November 27, 2023, and a petition was promptly forwarded to the EFCC that FCMB fraudulently obtained the sum of N90 million under false pretense.
EFCC, in its bid to resolve the matter, focused attention on Goodwill Private Schools that was built and commissioned by former Governor of Ondo State , Dr Olusegun Agagu in 2004 and concluded that the money used to build the school must have been from the proceeds of crime.
Thereafter, it put aside Mrs Olaiya’s petition against FCMB and approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, for and interim forfeiture of Goodwill Schools, using an ex-parte order without putting the other party on notice.
The Proprietor’s Lawyer, Dr Enikuomehin said he had to file for a stay of execution on February 5, 2025 to seek redress against the perceived injustice done through the EFCC’s action.
Justice A. O Owoeye of Federal High Court, Ikoyi had while ruling on the application for a restraining order against the EFCC not to tamper with the res till the next adjourned date (which is April 7, 2025 in order not to force a fait accompli on the court) said since the EFCC’s attorney was in court, both parties should maintain the status quo ante bellium.
Dr Enikuomehin said he was shocked to the marrow when on February 27, 2025 he received a call from his elder brother that EFCC operatives invaded the school in a commando style brandishing assault rifles.
He also wrote to Justice Owoeye through the court registrar concerning the new development in the school and to abridge the date of hearing for an accelerated one in order to forestall such occurrence in the future.
Attempts to speak to the EFCC for its reaction over the issue was unsuccessful as at the time of filling the report.