EFCC, Ibadan college students trade blame over invasion, attack

Students of the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, Oyo State, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have traded blames following an altercation on Tuesday where the students and staff of the institution allegedly attacked and locked up operatives of the Commission.

The incident occurred when the EFCC officials reportedly visited the school to effect the arrest of a suspect who stood surety for a suspected internet fraudster.

According to a student union official who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, the confrontation was sparked after the EFCC operatives invaded the college and shot sporadically into the air.

The student union official said the students, led by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D, were only protesting the invasion and shooting within their campus by operatives of the commission.

The students’ official alleged that some of his colleagues were hit by stray bullets from the EFCC operatives during the invasion while others sustained serious injuries in the ensuing stampede.

Also speaking on the incident, the South-West Coordinator for the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), John Alao, said the institution’s SUG President, Adewale Michael, had already convened a meeting to resolve the situation at the instance of the school management before the EFCC operatives called for a reinforcement and shooting rampage.

Read also: Youths protest EFCC’s illegal arrest, detention in Ibadan

However, the EFCC has blamed the students and staff of the college for instigating the attack on its operatives.

The Head of Media & Publicity in the commission, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Wednesday, accused the students and staff of attacking its officials who were on a lawful and official assignment.

In the statement titled ‘Unprovoked Attack on EFCC Operatives in Ibadan: Call for Caution’, Oyewale said “seven operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on routine verification exercise of a surety, Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi were, on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, attacked and held hostage by staff and students of the Federal College of Forestry , Idi-shin Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State.”

Continuing, the EFCC spokesman said:

“For some inscrutable reasons, students and staff of the college went on a frenzy of attacks against operatives of the EFCC, who were on an authorized assignment.

“This is in spite of the fact that the college community was duly informed about the mission of the EFCC’s team. The college’s Student Union President, in concert with his colleagues and some staff of the institution, reportedly ignited violent confrontation with operatives of the EFCC.

“Two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers of the college. The bus that conveyed operatives to the college was vandalized, even, as students and staff of the college threw stones and dangerous objects at the vehicle. A rescue team that came successfully released the seven operatives held hostage by the riotous crowd.

“It is noteworthy that, operatives of the Commission exercised restraint in the face of the unprovoked attack and refrained from applying any force against the belligerent attackers.

“No student or staff of the college was shot, as armed operatives merely fired into the air to disperse the unruly crowd.

“The Commission wishes to assure the public that it will continue to perform its duties in line with its mandate, and unprovoked attacks against personnel of the Commission will no longer be tolerated.”

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