- By Halimah Olamide
Seven officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have been allegedly attacked on Wednesday in Ibadan.
The officials were said to be operatives from the Ibadan zonal office of the commission who visited the College of Forestry on an official assignment.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman, he said that the officials were on the campus of the institution to authenticate the identity of a surety for a suspect who is in its custody.
Oyewale explained that after being , attacked m, they were also held hostage by staff and students of the Federal College of Forestry, Idi-shin Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“The operatives were in the college to authenticate the address and identity of Oluwakemi, who 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 occasioned the mission of EFCC’s operatives at the college,” Oyewale said
He said for some inscrutable reasons, students and staff of the college went on a frenzy of attacks against operatives of the EFCC, who were on an authorized assignment.
He added, “This is in spite of the fact that the college community was duly informed about the mission of the EFCC’s team.
The college’s Student Union President, in concert with his colleagues and some staff of the institution, reportedly ignited violent confrontation with operatives of the EFCC.
“Two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers of the college. The bus that conveyed operatives to the college was vandalized, even, as students and staff of the college threw stones and dangerous objects at the vehicle.
A rescue team that came successfully released the seven operatives held hostage by the riotous crowd.
It is noteworthy that, operatives of the Commission exercised restraint in the face of the unprovoked attack and refrained from applying any force against the belligerent attackers.
No student or staff of the college was shot, as armed operatives merely fired into the air to disperse the unruly crowd. “
Oyewale assured the public that the EFCC will continue to perform its duties in line with its mandate, adding that unprovoked attacks against personnel of the Commission will no longer be tolerated.