EFCC raids OAU hostels, arrests 70 students

In a midnight raid on dorms off campus, over 70 students from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, were reportedly taken into custody by representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Our correspondent received confirmation on Wednesday morning from multiple sources in Ile-Ife that the officials had stormed the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, at around two in the morning, broken into rooms, and taken the students into custody.

As of the time of publication, the reason(s) for the arrest remained unconfirmed; however, Abass Ojo, President of the Students' Union, disclosed that the union possessed information regarding "72 students picked up from the hostel with phones and cars taken away."

Joy Abiola, a former union official, informed our correspondent that the students had been physically assaulted.

“The EFCC officials came between 1:40 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. Only students stay in those hostels,” Joy said, adding, “How can you arrest people for owning iPhones, laptops, and cars?”

Another student, identified simply as Ewatee, said, “Female students were among those picked up. Even some fresh students who just went to greet their senior colleagues were arrested. The approach is wrong.”

In a video that one of the students shared with our correspondent, several young people who appeared to be hostel guests could be seen being beaten by security guards as they were ordered to move quickly into a white Hummer bus.

A white Hummer Bus was seen travelling alongside roughly six other cars in a different video. The officials, according to the students, were moving from the Ile-Ife region to Ibadan.

When contacted, Olumide Egbodofo, the head of the EFCC's Public Affairs Department at the Ibadan Zonal Command, promised to provide an update on the incident.

“A press statement will be released regarding that soon,” the spokesperson added.

As of the time of publication, Abiodun Olarewaju, the university's spokesperson, could not be reached at his phone number.

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