Drama as EFCC Releases OAU Students Arrested for Alleged Internet Fraud, Deletes Controversial Tweet
- The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released 58 out of 69 students of OAU earlier arrested for suspected internet fraud
- EFCC operatives invaded the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 1, 2023
- Later the same day, the anti-graft agency disclosed that many of the suspects that have been "duly profiled" by its officers have been released, while profiling of other arrested suspects will be completed
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Ile-Ife, Osun state - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that many of the students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) who were arrested for suspected internet fraud have been released.
TheCable reported that 58 out of the 69 suspects picked up in their off-campus hostels in Ile-Ife have regained freedom.
Source: Facebook
Purported fraud: EFCC releases 58 OAU students
The EFCC in a statement on Wednesday night, November 1, said those released were duly profiled by the Ibadan Zonal Command.
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The statement was signed by Dele Oyewale, the EFCC's Head of media and publicity.
The anti-graft agency added that profiling of suspects yet unreleased "will be completed, without further delay".
EFCC risks being dragged to court
Meanwhile, some persons have threatened legal action against the EFCC for "exposing the names of the 69 OAU students to the public".
Earlier, the EFCC, while confirming the OAU operation, said the undergraduates who were accused of internet fraud were arrested based on credible intelligence.
The EFCC said:
"Items recovered include exotic cars, 190 mobile phones, and 40 laptops among others."
Oyewale disclosed that the suspects had made useful statements to the anti-graft body, adding that they would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. Their names were also made public on social media.
However, on Thursday morning, November 2, the EFCC deleted the tweet containing the names of the students arrested from Ile-Ife, Osun.
Deborah Toluwase, an X (formerly Twitter) user, who had threatened to, alongside some other individuals, sue the agency expressed satisfaction with the deletion.
She, however, bemoaned that "the damage has been done", and urged the EFCC to apologise to the students.
Toluwase wrote on her verified page:
"Glad to see that EFCC has deleted the post containing the names of those promising chaps arrested from the great citadel of learning, Obafemi Awolowo University. This however does not change the fact that the damage has been done.
"Several bloggers and media outlets since getting the statement from EFCc yesterday posted the names of the students on their sites.
"We still need an apology from the EFCC if not the damage done to the reputation of these promising chaps will be forever."
EFCC finally bans sting operations at Night
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the EFCC on Wednesday, November 1, announced the ban on night sting operations in Nigeria.
The EFCC's statement stopping sting operations at night was signed by its spokesman, Oyewale.
Source: Legit.ng
