By Fawaz Adebisi
A verification exercise by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) turned violent on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, when students and staff of the Federal College of Forestry, Idi-shin Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State, attacked and trapped seven operatives of the anti-graft agency.
According to a statement by the EFCC X handle (formerly twitter), the operatives were at the college to verify the identity of a surety: Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi, who had bailed out a suspected internet fraudster, Alakinde Khalid Kolawole, in their custody.
The statement said that the college community was aware of the EFCC’s mission, but for unknown reasons, they launched a violent confrontation against the operatives, barricaded the gates with a car, and vandalized the bus that brought them.
The statement added that a rescue team was able to free the operatives from the hostile crowd, who threw stones and other objects at them.
It also said that no student or staff was shot by the operatives, who only fired into the air to disperse the attackers.
The EFCC condemned the unprovoked attack and vowed to continue its duties in line with its mandate.
It also warned that such attacks against its personnel would not be tolerated.
