MacBook pro mid 2012 13 inch EFI lock after software update(OCLP)

Hello redditors! I'm reaching out for your help.

I have a MacBook Pro Mid 2012 13-inch (Non-Retina) that got "bricked" after updating to macOS Sequoia using OCLP. Now, an EFI Lock (padlock icon) appears every time I try to boot.

I've tried every trick I know:

Removing one RAM stick to change configuration.

PRAM/NVRAM reset (holding Cmd+Opt+P+R).

Trying to boot into Internet Recovery or from a USB installer.

Despite these attempts, the Lock screen appears every time I hold any key combination. I don't want to format the SSD because I have critical college projects on it that weren't backed up yet.

Is there any way to bypass or remove this lock without losing my data? Is it possible that OCLP triggered some firmware security?

Thanks a lot for any help! 🙏