Federal College of Forestry in Ibadan has been shut down by the management of the institution until further notice.

The institution was shut down over the clash that occurred between the staff and students of the institution and some officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This is as the Ibadan Zonal Command of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, warned against unprovoked attacks on its operatives.

Recall that students of Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan held officers of the commission hostage on Tuesday while on official duty at the school.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Dele Oyewale, gave the warning in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The EFCC spokesman said the operatives of the commission were at 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.

He added that a surety verification exercise is a standard law enforcement practice for the perfection of bail conditions of a suspect.

He said operatives of the commission exercised restraint in the face of the unprovoked attack and refrained from applying any force against the belligerent attackers, adding that no student or staff of the college was shot, as armed operatives merely fired into the air to disperse the unruly crowd.

Oyewale added: “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.”

“Two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers of the college. 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.”

He said it took a rescue team of seven operatives to free the EFCC operatives held hostage by the crowd.

“The commission wishes to assure the public that it will continue to perform its duties in line with its mandate and that unprovoked attacks against personnel of the commission will no longer be tolerated,” he added.