The commission made this known in a statement on its X (Twitter) page on Wednesday.
Operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have confirmed the arrest of fourteen undergraduates of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
The commission made this known in a statement on its X (Twitter) page on Wednesday.
EFCC Arrests 14 FUTA Undergraduates, 19 Others for Suspected Internet Fraud
Operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested fourteen undergraduates of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
They were… pic.twitter.com/TQSCRZBYVs
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) February 14, 2024
SaharaReporters earlier reported several students of the institution were arrested by officials of the EFCC in a midnight raid of hostels outside the campus in the early hours of Wednesday.
SaharaReporters learnt that the operatives stormed students’ lodges around Orita Obele Road block at about 2am, broke into rooms, and arrested the students.
It was gathered that many of the students first thought the anti-graft agency operatives were kidnappers until much later, when they found that they were EFCC officials.
According to EFCC, the students were arrested alongside nineteen others for suspected internet crimes.
“The suspects were arrested at different residential locations within the Akure metropolis following intelligence on their alleged nefarious activities,” the statement read.
“Specifically, the sting operation that yielded their arrest was a response to strident calls to the EFCC by neighbours and parents around the locations, to save their children from being lured into internet-related activities by the suspects.
“Items recovered at the point of arrest include ten exotic cars, phones, laptops and one motorbike.
“The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”
The latest night raid however goes against the directive by the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Last November, Olukoyede banned operatives of the commission from carrying out sting operations at night.
He gave the directive in reaction to the arrest of 69 suspected internet fraudsters in Ile-Ife, Osun State, by operatives of the Ibadan zonal command of the EFCC.