The operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have confirmed the arrest of 64 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede who they claimed are suspected internet fraudsters.
A statement on the EFCC verified social media handle on Friday, said the students were arrested on Wednesday, in Ede, Osun State following actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in fraudulent internet-related activities.
According to the statement, “Investigators of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, arrested sixty-four suspected internet fraudsters in Osun State.
“The suspected cybercriminals were arrested in Ede, Osun State following actionable intelligence on their suspicious fraudulent activities in their environs.
“Items recovered from them include 18 exotic vehicles, 18 laptops, 112 mobile phones, three Play Station games, five motorcycles, and other incriminating documents among others.
“They will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”
Osun Defender recalls that the Osun axis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Joint Campus Committee, has accused the EFCC, of illegally abducting the students.
In a statement jointly signed by Taiwo Ogungbe and Farouq Afolabi, the Chairman, and the General Secretary, respectively, NANS JCC, Osun axis, the union claimed that the EFCC operatives during a night raid arrested an unspecified number of students and whisked them to Ibadan, Oyo State.
The student group, while condemning the act, also demanded the immediate release of all those arrested.
They 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 skeptical, 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 in the 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.
