Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday stormed the IHS Towers office in Wuse 2, Abuja, in a dramatic raid that eyewitnesses say quickly escalated into a full-blown hostage situation.
According to multiple sources inside the building, the ICPC officers aggressively seized over 40 mobile phones, laptops, and smartwatches from workers shortly after bursting into the premises.
The raid occurred in the middle of a World Human Rights Day presentation being delivered by Amnesty International staff — a symbolic moment that was abruptly shattered when ICPC operatives allegedly blocked all exits and warned that anyone who attempted to leave or enter the building would be shot.
Two Amnesty International staffers were still reportedly trapped in the building as of press time, with workers describing scenes of panic and confusion.
“They confiscated over 40 phones, laptops, and smartwatches,” one source told Chronicles Reporters.
“The Amnesty International team, who came to give a Human Rights Day presentation, are still being held in the conference room. The operatives threatened to shoot anyone who tries to step out.”
Another witness described the raid as “a deliberate intimidation operation,” adding that staff members were ordered to remain seated while officers moved from room to room, blocking doors and disrupting the event.
IHS Towers — which began operations in Nigeria in 2001 — is one of the country’s largest telecommunications infrastructure companies, with offices in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Enugu, Asaba, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
As of the time of filing this report, ICPC had not issued an official statement, and the fate of those trapped inside remained unclear.