The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has narrated how seven of its operatives were held hostage by students and staff of the Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The EFCC, stated this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity, who signed the statement said the seven operatives were on routine verification exercises of a surety, Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi on Tuesday, when they got seized.
The commission said the seven operatives held hostage are all from its Ibadan Zonal Command.
EFCC said : “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.
“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 authorised assignment.
“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.”
The Commission said two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers of the college.
It further explained that the bus that conveyed the operatives to the college was vandalised, “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.
“The Commission wishes to assure the public that it will continue to perform its duties in line with its mandate, and unprovoked attacks against personnel of the Commission will no longer be tolerated,” EFCC said. (vitalnewsngr.com)
