A yet-to-be-ascertained number of students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have been arrested by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a midnight raid of hostels outside the campus in the early hours of Wednesday, multiple sources have reported.
It was learnt that the operatives stormed students’ lodges around Orita Obele, Road block at about 2am, broke into rooms, and arrested the students.
It was gathered that many of the students first thought the anti-graft agency operatives were kidnappers until much later, when they found that they were EFCC officials. They were said to be from the Benin Zonal office of the commission.
“The officials did not only destroy our properties, most of the students arrested were assaulted and brutalised. Even female students were assaulted.
“Adonai lodge, Celebrity lodge, peace apartment and others in Orita Obele, I’ll update you with more information later,” a source hastily reported.
The incident is coming a few months after EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede directed operatives of the commission to stop sting operations at night.
“In line with the newly-revised procedures on arrest and bail of suspects by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has directed that sting operations at night time be stopped in all the Commands of the EFCC.
“He gave the directive in Abuja on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, in reaction to the arrest of 69 suspected internet fraudsters by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal of the Commission in Ile-Ife, Osun State. Already, many of the suspects duly profiled by the Command have been released, while profiling of suspects yet un-released will be completed, without further delay.
“The Commission wishes to assure the public that it will not relent in its adherence to the rule of law, in the exercise of its mandate,” Dele Oyewale, Head, Media & Publicity of the commission had said in a statement.
In another statement, EFCC also announced a review of its arrest and bail procedure to “adhere to the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects”.
The anti-graft agency barred the detention of suspects beyond the constitutionally allowed period without a remand warrant.
The commission directed operatives to ensure “premium attention is focused on the rights of suspects, especially where arrest, detention and bail issues are concerned”.
The commission also ordered its officers against demanding “professional certificates of sureties as a bail condition”.
“Every demand for international passports of suspects would henceforth be exercised with discretion, depending on the nature of the case, personality and country of residence of the suspect,” the statement had read.