11 OAU students face fraud trial, varsity meets EFCC

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) management in Ile-Ife has initiated discussions with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the arrest of 69 individuals on suspicion of internet fraud. A significant number of those apprehended are believed to be students of the institution.JAMB Portal

Out of the suspects, 58 were released later on Wednesday.

In what was described as a midnight raid, EFCC officials targeted hostels located outside the OAU campus, including Fine Touch and Superb hostels situated in the Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife. They forcefully entered the rooms and detained the students present.

Akinremi Ojo, the Students’ Union President, revealed that by Wednesday morning, the union had information regarding “72 students who were apprehended from the hostels with their phones and cars confiscated.” Ojo called for the immediate release of the detained students and expressed strong disapproval of the manner in which the arrests were conducted.

See Other Top Stories:

Adding to the controversy, a former union representative, Joy Abiola, reported that the students faced physical violence during the arrest process. The incident has stirred significant concern and demands for transparency regarding the reasons for the arrest and the methods employed.InformationGuideNigeria

Abiola told PUNCH Metro that, “The EFCC officials came between 1:40 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.,” saying, “Only students stay in those hostels. How can you arrest people for owning iPhones, laptops, and cars? Some of the students are only tech experts.”JAMB Result

Recent developments in Ile-Ife have come to the forefront, with a video being shared that showcases a disturbing scene involving the forceful arrest of several individuals, allegedly students. In the video provided to our correspondent by one of the students, numerous young individuals, claimed to be students, can be seen being forcefully marched into a white Hummer Bus. Some security officials are observed using force, hitting the individuals, and urging them to hurry into the vehicle.

A subsequent video reveals the white Hummer Bus accompanied by approximately six other vehicles as they exit Ile-Ife, reportedly headed for the EFCC zonal office located in Ibadan, Oyo State.NYSC Portal

Further confirming the incident, the EFCC issued a statement on their verified Facebook page, acknowledging the arrest of 69 individuals in Ile-Ife. While the anti-corruption body provided a list of the suspects’ names, they did not specifically identify them as students.

The videos and subsequent statements from EFCC have intensified the debate and concerns over the manner of arrests and the actual reasons behind them. As discussions continue, calls for clarity and a transparent investigation are mounting.

“They were arrested on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at the 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 statement said.

The agency disclosed further that, “The suspects have made useful statements to the EFCC and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”

Hours after the arrests, several OAU students led by union officers mobilised from Ile-Ife to the EFCC office in Ibadan to demand the release of their colleagues. They were seen protesting as the armed security operatives barricaded the EFCC premises.

“We’re here until they release the students,” the PRO of the Students’ Union, Elijah Omisore, told PUNCH Metro in a telephone interview.

The Osun Joint Campus Committee arm of the National Association of Nigerian Students in a statement also condemned the arrest of students.

“Without any justification or evidence, they invaded the residence of the OAU students and transported them (the students) to Ibadan. We condemn this action in the strongest possible terms,” the spokesperson for the student body, Adedapo Emmanuel, said in a statement.

While speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday evening, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, said, “we (the management) are currently at the EFCC office in Ibadan to meet the officials.”

He later confirmed that “58 of the students were released to us. The remaining 11 of them have cases to answer.”

Check JAMB Result

Check and Confirm: How much is Dollar to Naira