The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, has been shut down indefinitely following the clash between the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the students over an alleged invasion
The EFCC accused students of holding seven of its officials hostage while on official assignment on campus.
However, the students insisted that the operatives invaded their campus without recourse to protocol.
Also, it was alleged that there were sporadic gunshots, which forced the students to scamper for safety.
It was reported that two of the students were injured during the reported invasion.
This development, as reliably informed, forced the students to stage peaceful protests in demand for justice.
All the entrances leading to the campus were barricaded on the first day (Tuesday), while they took to the street on Wednesday.
But the EFCC, in an official statement signed by Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the reported incident was the other way around, as it alleged the students were holding seven of its men hostage.
The officers, as contained in the statement, were held hostage while on routine verification exercises.
The statement read, ‘The operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on routine verification exercise of a surety: Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi were, on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, attacked and 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 ensuring the 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 confrontations 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.
The bus that conveyed 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.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, Mr Kehinde Olawale, informed that the Institute has been shut as a result of the incident
According to him, the school has been closed to ease tension. We have gone to the Oyo Police Command to lodge a complaint.
We have sent a circular to the students. What we have decided to do now is close down the school
We don’t want to see any students on the campus for now. This is done to douse the tension.
