The Economic Financial Crime Commission’s Tuesday night arrest of students at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, was denounced by the National Association of University Students on Wednesday.
The vice chairman of NAUS in the state, Akinyemi Hammed, the deputy national president, Eruobami Ayobami, and the national director of security and safety, Babalola Daniel, all signed the statement criticizing the commission’s actions and procedure. The statement reads, “As student leaders, the security and safety of our students is paramount to us and the actions of the EFCC is synonymous with those of gangs of thieves and burglars.”
Earlier, reports claimed that the anti-graft agency had detained over 70 students from the school. On Wednesday morning, our correspondent received confirmation from multiple sources in Ile-Ife that the officials had stormed the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, at around two in the morning, broken into rooms, and taken the students into custody.
The Students’ Union President, Abass Ojo, stated that the union received information on “72 students picked up from the hostel with phones and cars taken away,” albeit the reasons for the arrest were not confirmed at the time of publication.
Joy Abiola, a former union officer, informed our correspondent that the students had been physically assaulted.
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.”
On the other hand, NAUS threatened to hold a protest if a settlement was not made and urged President Bola Tinubu to look into the commission’s actions.
The union said, “We will not hesitate to hit the streets if there is no solution. We call on the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to look into the excess of the Commission.”