- The students embarked on the journey from Ile-Ife to Ibadan hours after the arrest and invaded the EFCC office.
- Students at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife in Osun State had protested against the arrest of their colleagues by EFCC operatives.
Of the 69 students that were detained earlier on Wednesday at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission has freed 58 of them.
As previously reported, the committee detained no fewer than seventy university students.
They were allegedly taken into custody during a midnight raid on dorms off campus by EFCC agents.
Several Ile-Ife sources verified on Wednesday morning that the officers had broken into the rooms of the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, at around two in the morning, arrested the students, and taken them into custody.
However, the National Association Of University Students condemned the arrest of the students by the EFCC.
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 made by the students’ leadership criticising the commission’s procedures and decisions saying, “It is important that as students leaders, the security and safety of our students is paramount to us and the action of the EFCC is synonymous to an action of gang of thieves and burglars.”
The anti-graft agency in a statement said it arrested 69 suspected internet fraudsters in Ile-Ife.
“They were arrested on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at Oduduwa Estate area of Ile-Ife, Osun State following actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in fraudulent internet-related activities. Credible intelligence linked Oduduwa Estate with activities of suspected internet fraudsters,” the anti-graft agency said.
“58 students have been released,” stated Eruobami, confirming the release on Wednesday.