The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15 am on Monday, 28th March 2022.
Anti-corruption groups, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) and The Publish What You Pay (PWYP), have condemned an attack by gunmen on the residence of Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre.
PWYP noted that Suraju has been “at the forefront of the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria, especially the Malabo oil fraud”.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how five armed men invaded Suraj's residence and threatened to kill him and his wife.
The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15 am on Monday, 28th March 2022.
Reacting in a statement, CACOL condemned the attack describing it as '‘an attack on the truth”.
The group further noted that the attack underscores the height that insecurity has reached in the country considering the status of the estate which has adequate security apparatus.
The statement was signed by Tola Oresanwo, the anti-corruption organisation’s Director, Administration and Programmes on behalf of its Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran.
It reads, “We received the sad news of the attack of the Chairman of HEDA, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju and his wife by gunmen numbering five with great shock.
“The fact that the gunmen at about 2:15am on Monday invaded only Suraju’s residence out of other 220 buildings in the estate is suspicious and a pointer to the fact that they may not be ordinary armed robbers but may have been sent to carry out the dastardly act by some group of people who are enemies of truth.
“We learnt that the assailants who were heavily armed with guns, knives, and other dangerous weapons also threatened to kill Mr. Suraju, physically hit him and his wife both of whom had to be hospitalised.
“The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr. Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15 am on Monday, 28th March 2022, breached the Estate’s Security and burgled the security features in his house with sophisticated tools. Currently, both the intent and the extent of the damage cannot be fully estimated yet.”
“We are still amazed at the manner of desperation that could warrant this kind of attack on the personality of someone who has been at the forefront of anti-corruption and whistleblowing in the country. It only goes to show how shameless and conscienceless many have fallen in their nefarious acts.”
The group said it hoped the police would investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Similarly, The Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Nigeria Coalition in strong terms condemned the invasion and attack on Suraju’s home.
The PWYP, in a statement on Wednesday signed by its National Coordinator, Taiwo Otitolaye, said the Nigerian government is liable to answer questions regarding the attack.
It said, “A few weeks back, it was the invasion of the office of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), another member of our Coalition, by the State Security Services (SSS); now it's an assassination attempt on Suraju and other members of his family.
“Corruption has expanded widely, deeply, and has become commonplace. It is endemic and a way of life, especially in the oil and gas; and solid minerals sector. This is the sore of a nation.
“Civic spaces in Nigeria have been caged. Nigeria and Nigerians are in deep distress. The people's natural resources are not beneficial to them in any way.
“Looting of the Commonwealth is at its highest order; abject poverty and insecurities are everywhere in the land.”
“Finally, we hold the Federal government of NIGERIA liable for the attack on Suraju's family. The perpetrators must be fished out and made to face the law,” it added.