In a midnight raid on dorms off campus, around 70 students from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, were reportedly taken into custody by representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
On Wednesday morning, a number of local sources in Ile-Ife verified to reporters that the authorities attacked the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, around 2 a.m., broke into rooms, and detained the students.
As of the time of publication, the reason(s) for the arrest remained unconfirmed; however, Abass Ojo, President of the Students’ Union, disclosed that the union possessed information regarding “72 students picked up from the hostel with phones and cars taken away.”
Reporters were informed by Joy Abiola, a former union officer, that the students had been beaten.
The officials from the EFCC arrived between 1:40 and 4:00 in the morning. Joy remarked, “How can you arrest people for owning iPhones, laptops, and cars? Only students stay in those hostels.”
“Among those picked up were female students,” stated another student, who went by the name Ewatee. Arrested were even several first-year students who had only gone to welcome their more experienced peers. The strategy is flawed.
Some young people who were reportedly dormitory students were observed being herded into a white Hummer bus by security guards, who beat them and gave them orders to get inside, according to a video received.
A white Hummer bus was spotted traveling with roughly six other cars in a different video. The authorities, according to the students, were moving from the Ile-Ife region to Ibadan.
When contacted, Olumide Egbodofo, the head of the EFCC’s Public Affairs Department at the Ibadan Zonal Command, promised to provide an update on the situation.
The spokeswoman said, “A press statement regarding that will be released soon.”
As of the time of publication, Abiodun Olarewaju, the university’s spokesperson, could not be reached at his phone number.