During a nocturnal search on off-campus dorms, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) , is reported to have arrested around 70 students from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Our correspondent learned on Wednesday morning from many sources that the police had stormed into the rooms of the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, at around two in the morning, taken the students into custody, and taken them into prison.
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.”
Joy Abiola, a former union officer, informed our correspondent that the students had been physically assaulted.
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 that one of the students sent to our correspondent.
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 EFCC officials came between 1:40 a.m and 4:00 a.m. Only students stay in those hostels,” Joy said, adding, “How can you arrest people for owning iPhones, laptops, and cars?”
Another student, identified simply as Ewatee, said, “Female students were among those picked up. Even some fresh students who just went to greet their senior colleagues were arrested. The approach is wrong.”
In a video shared with our correspondent, taken by one of the students, several young persons said to be students of the hostel were seen being marched into a white Hummer Bus with some security officials hitting them and ordering them to move and enter quickly.
In another video, about six vehicles were seen alongside the white Hummer Bus on the move. Students said the officials were leaving the Ile-Ife area and heading to Ibadan.
Contacted, the head of Public Affairs Department of the EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command, Olumide Egbodofo, said an update would be given on the incident.
“A press statement will be released regarding that soon,” the spokesperson added.
Also, the phone line of the university’s spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, was unreachable as of press time.
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