Over 20 Arrested as EFCC Raids Mariton Apartments in Lekki Phase 1 Over Suspected Financial Crimes
Over 20 Arrested as EFCC Raids Mariton Apartments in Lekki Phase 1 Over Suspected Financial Crimes
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested more than 20 suspects during an intelligence-led raid on a short-let apartment complex in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos, as the anti-graft agency intensifies its crackdown on suspected financial crime syndicates operating within the upscale neighbourhood. The operation was carried out in the early hours of Monday, July 27, 2026, at Mariton Apartments, located on Plot 30, QMB Road, Ikate, Lekki, according to multiple reports published on August 6 and 7, 2026.
A senior EFCC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly on the operation, confirmed the arrests and said investigations were ongoing. “The operation was intelligence-driven. Yes, a number of suspects were arrested and investigations are continuing. We are profiling those arrested and examining items recovered during the operation. Further details will be made public at the appropriate time,” the official said. Sources familiar with the operation disclosed that EFCC operatives searched several apartments within the complex, questioned occupants, and took more than 20 suspects into custody. Investigators also recovered items considered relevant to the ongoing investigation, though the commission has yet to disclose the identities of those arrested or the specific offences under investigation.
While some residents alleged that certain apartments in the complex may have been used for suspected criminal activities, including internet-related fraud, the EFCC has not officially linked any individual, tenant, or apartment owner to any criminal offence. The allegations could not be independently verified. The operation attracted widespread attention within the neighbourhood, with residents describing it as one of the most extensive anti-graft raids carried out in the area in recent months. Residents and operators of short-let apartments in the area also said patronage at the facility had dropped noticeably since the operation.
Sources further disclosed that investigators are analysing materials recovered during the raid while screening the suspects to determine whether criminal charges would be filed. As of press time, no charges had been filed, while the EFCC maintained that investigations into the operation were ongoing. The raid at Mariton Apartments is part of a broader crackdown by the EFCC on financial crimes in Lagos. In July 2026, the agency secured the final forfeiture of 52 housing units in the Lekki area to the Federal Government after a court ruled that the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to combating financial crimes and has urged members of the public to provide credible information to assist in its operations. As the investigation continues, the agency has made it clear that it will not relent in its efforts to rid the country of economic and financial crimes, warning that those who engage in such activities will face the full wrath of the law.
