Operatives of Nigeria’s renowned Anti-graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are appealing to the public to exercise restraint in the face of unprovoked attacks on its personnel. The EFCC urges individuals to refrain from applying force against these belligerent attackers.
The Commission, in response to the recent attack on its operatives in Ibadan, Oyo state, assures Nigerians that it will continue to carry out its duties in accordance with its mandate. A press statement issued by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Dele Oyewale, stipulates that unprovoked attacks on EFCC personnel will no longer be tolerated.
Recall that on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, seven operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were on a routine verification exercise of a surety, Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi, when they were attacked and held hostage by staff and students of the Federal College of Forestry, Idi-shin Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The operatives had visited the college to authenticate the address and identity of Oluwakemi, who had stood as a surety for Alakinde Khalid Kolawole, a suspected internet fraudster in the custody of the Commission.
“A surety verification exercise is a standard law enforcement practice for the perfection of bail conditions of a suspect. This fact necessitated the visit of EFCC’s operatives to the college,” explained Oyewale.
Oyewale further elaborated that, for inexplicable reasons, students and staff of the college launched a frenzy of attacks against the EFCC operatives, who were on an authorized assignment after the college community had been duly informed about the mission of the EFCC team.
“The college’s Student Union President, in collaboration with his colleagues and some staff of the institution, reportedly instigated violent confrontations with the EFCC operatives. Two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers,” stated Oyewale.
“The bus carrying the operatives was vandalized, and students and staff of the college hurled stones and dangerous objects at the vehicle. Fortunately, a rescue team arrived and successfully freed the seven operatives from the riotous crowd,” he added.
Oyewale reassured the public that no student or staff member of the college was shot, as armed operatives only fired warning shots into the air to disperse the unruly crowd.
