The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), specifically the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in Osun State, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of illegally abducting students from the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State. According to reports, EFCC operatives from the Ibadan Zonal office conducted a midnight raid on the students’ hostels, arresting an unspecified number of students. These students were then taken to Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a statement jointly signed by Taiwo Ogungbe and Farouq Afolabi, the Chairman and the General Secretary, respectively, NANS JCC, Osun axis.
The student group, while condemning the act, also demanded the immediate release of all those arrested. Also warned that failure to accede to their demand would compel NANS to move against the agency.
It further read, “The leadership of NANS JCC Osun Axis, in the utmost display of solidarity, denounces the reprehensible actions of EFCC officers who abducted our students in Ede overnight.
Despite televised broadcasts and press releases from the EFCC chairman assuring no-night raids by the agency, students and Nigerians remained sceptical, given the EFCC’s track record.
“Regrettably, less than a month later, individuals in the EFCC uniforms raided another school at night.
“To date, these kidnappers have not been brought to justice by the EFCC officials.
“Once again, overnight, the EFCC operatives abducted our students in Ede and transferred them to their Zonal headquarters in Ibadan, where innocent Nigerians are often subjected to punishment.
“We unequivocally condemn this act and demand the immediate release of all our students. Failure to do so will compel students to take actions that the agency may not like.
“It is particularly distressing that these students are currently undergoing exams, undoubtedly affected psychologically by the trauma they are experiencing. As law-abiding Nigerians, we urge President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure the prompt release of our students.”
Meanwhile, the Management of Federal Polytechnic Ede, on Thursday, said that it was yet to confirm the identity of the students alleged to have been arrested by the EFCC.
The institution also confirmed that there was a sting operation of the anti-graft agency in the town but specified that the raid was carried out at Owode-Ede area.
A statement by the management, signed by the school’s Public Relations Officer, Sola Lawal, however, said the institution had yet to receive any correspondence from the EFCC to either confirm or deny the said arrest and the involvement of its students.
“The attention of the Management of Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State has been drawn to a purported arrest of students of the institution by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which has gone viral on social media platforms.
“It is, therefore, imperative to intimate the general public that the said raid was carried out at Owode-Ede and we have yet to ascertain the identities of those alleged to have been apprehended by the security agency. Also, we have yet to receive any correspondence from the EFCC to either confirm or deny the said arrest and the involvement of our students.
“To this end, we hereby urge the polytechnic community and the general public to remain calm as the management will appropriately keep them informed on further developments,” the statement partly read.
