Lawyer Apologizes For False Claim Of EFCC Raid On Bello El-Rufai’s Residence
Sabrina Ezeoku, a legal practitioner, has issued a public apology for falsely claiming that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the residence of Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.
On December 5, Ezeoku posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account that EFCC operatives raided Bello’s home in Kaduna, alleging that they discovered “$800 million, N700 billion in cash, and N1 trillion worth of drugs.”
The EFCC swiftly denied conducting such an operation, calling the report baseless. Bello also refuted the claims, labeling them as “fake news” and announcing plans to pursue legal action against those responsible for spreading the misinformation.
In a letter addressed to Bello on Tuesday, Ezeoku admitted that her earlier statement was entirely false. She acknowledged failing to verify the story before sharing it.
“I hereby retract the post I made on X on December 5, 2024, claiming a raid was conducted at the residence of Nasir El-Rufai’s son by the EFCC, and $800 million, N700 billion cash, and N1 trillion worth of drugs were discovered,” the letter read.
“I wholeheartedly apologize for the said post. I did not verify the veracity or truthfulness of the statement before posting, and all attempts thereafter to verify it proved abortive. I have since discovered that the statement is completely false.”
Ezeoku expressed regret for any harm her post may have caused, adding, “I never intended to offend or embarrass you, your family, or the Federal House of Representatives, or harm your reputation.”
The apology comes amidst growing concerns over the spread of misinformation on social media, particularly involving high-profile figures and public institutions.
