EFCC operatives raided off-campus hostels of students at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo, in a midnight invasion despite a ban on the anti-graft agency’s so-called sting operation. 

It was gathered that the operatives in a sting operation invaded the hostels, located at Orita Obele area of Akure, around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday and assaulted and arrested some of the students. 

The invasion came almost four months after EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede ordered a ban on sting operations at night in all commands of the anti-graft agency.

Confirming the invasion in a statement, the Students Union Government (SUG) president, Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, alleged that the operatives of the EFCC broke into over three hostels and arrested the students. 

“We regret to inform you of an ugly incident that happened within our school off-campus community. At 3:00 a.m. on the 14th of February, 2024, some agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) broke into more than three school lodges at the South Gate community and made an unlawful arrest of our students, destroyed properties, molested a female student and inhumanly inflicted injuries on some other students,” said Mr Oluwasoromidayo. 

He added, “While we are making immense efforts to recover our students back on campus, we want to state that this sudden arrest is unlawful, illegal and an insult to the executive chairman of EFCC, whose directive was breached.

“We have disheartening security issues that the Federal Government needs to help us attend to, but EFCC decided to add to our security threats. Again, Nigeria has failed us,” he said in the copy of the statement. 

Mr Oluwasoromidayo, however, called on other students to remain calm and sober and cooperate with the student union body, stressing that “We understand that this situation may raise concerns, and we will strive to keep you informed of any developments.”

The EFCC chairman had last November issued a ban on sting operations after the invasion and arrest of over 60 students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, in Osun, by operatives of the command. 

The invasion arrest of the OAU students sparked public outcry and outrage as the anti-graft agency labelled the undergraduates as fraudsters, otherwise known as ‘Yahoo boys’.

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale did not immediately respond to Peoples Gazette’s request for comments on the latest raid of student hostels.