Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
BENIN CITY – Tension flared along the busy Airport Road in Benin City on Thursday, 24 April 2026, after a group of local youths allegedly resisted and chased away operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), forcing the anti‑graft agents to retreat from the area. The incident, which was reportedly captured in a viral video, began when EFCC personnel arrived to execute what witnesses described as a sting operation targeting suspected internet fraudsters. However, the operation was met with unexpected and aggressive resistance when a large crowd of young men converged on the scene, shouting at the officers and blocking their patrol vehicles.
According to eyewitnesses, the confrontation quickly escalated from a verbal altercation to a physical standoff, with the youths demanding that the operatives leave the neighbourhood. “The boys were many, and they were very angry,” a shop owner along Airport Road told 247ureports.com. “They told the EFCC people that they were tired of the constant raids in their neighbourhood. The officers had to leave to avoid the situation turning bloody.” The standoff caused a significant disruption to traffic, with motorists stranded and commuters scrambling for safety.
Unofficial accounts on social media, unverified by this reporter, suggested that the EFCC team had been attempting to seize a vehicle but could not locate its key. According to these reports, the operatives briefly withdrew to fetch a towing van, only to return to find the area swarming with hostile youths who effectively blocked the recovery effort. It was at this point, the accounts claim, that the EFCC team chose to abandon the operation rather than risk a violent confrontation. These details, however, have not been confirmed by the EFCC or other official sources.
The EFCC had not issued a statement regarding the incident at the time of this report. A security source within Edo State told reporters that reinforcements had not been deployed to the scene in an effort to de‑escalate the tension and avoid a full‑scale riot in the heart of the city. The Edo State Police Command has reportedly increased patrols around the Airport Road axis to maintain law and order following the departure of the anti‑graft operatives. No injuries or arrests have been confirmed in connection with this specific confrontation.
Thursday’s events are the latest in a series of clashes between the EFCC and residents of Benin City. The Commission’s Benin Zonal Command has recently intensified its crackdown on cybercrime, leading to hundreds of arrests. While the EFCC has maintained that its operations are intelligence‑driven and lawful, local stakeholders—including hotel owners and youth groups—have increasingly complained about what they describe as indiscriminate raids and harassment of innocent citizens. Just last week, the Business and Hoteliers Stakeholders Forum in Edo State raised an alarm over dwindling revenues, blaming frequent EFCC raids for creating a climate of fear among guests and tourists.
The EFCC is currently warning the public about criminal gangs posing as its operatives to ambush youths and extort motorists across major cities. The Commission has urged citizens to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be an EFCC officer and to report suspicious activities to its official channels.
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